Clarke in wonderland
by earth89
Summary: While at Octavia's Halloween party Clarke finds herself stranded in a strange new world. Now she has to rely on a rebellious young man to get her home and keep her safe from the local queens who want her dead. Will Clarke ever find a way to get back home? Slow burn Bellarke the best kind
1. Through the looking glass

_**Hi every one. This is a story I wrote for National Novel writing month a few years ago. I have been itching to get the opinions of other people on it. So I decided to change the names and a few details and post it as a 100 fanfiction. I matched up the characters in this story with the ones on the show as best as I could but there will still be some OC moments. **_

_**Disclamer : The overall story is mine but the names are not.**_

Clarke adjusted the top of her dress as she parked her car, pulling it up so that it would better cover up her chest. She checked her makeup one last time and leaned over to the passenger side to pick up a sparkling purple and black wine bag. Shivering she climbed out of the car, the late October air was icy with the promises of the coming winter. Her shoes clicked loudly as she passed cars, and several houses before coming to a large two story home. The House was decked out in the traditional Halloween decor. Jack-o-lanterns grinned and Jeered at her approach as music and laughter leaked out into the street. Pressing the doorbell she waited.

"Clarke!" A high pitched voice squealed as the door opened, "Your here." The girl in what Clarke could only describe as some sort of Genie costume took the wine bag and pulled her into a hug.

"Hey Octavia." Clarke smiled as she followed her friend into the house." I 'm sorry I'm late," she continued. I had to go to the store after work and it took a little longer than I thought it would."

"That's ok, it happens. He's running later than you any way." The two girls walked down through the front hallway of the house until it opened up into the living room. All of the furniture had been pushed up against the walls to allow the maximum amount of floor space, whereas the Kitchen and dining room were set up as a bar and a buffet. There were a decent number of guests spread out around the rooms. They were all students from the university but some she only recognized from class.

"Where's Jasper?" Clarke asked shouting over the noise of the stereo and the television.

"Oh he's over there," Octavia pointed to the television where there were a group of guys playing guitar hero.

"They're all wearing masks which one is he?" Clarke asked trying to pin point Octavia's boyfriend amongst the super hero clad gamers.

"He is the one in the Iron man costume." Octavia explained as she walked to the kitchen counter and pulled a bottle of vodka out of the bag that Clarke had brought with her. "Ohh just what we needed!" she exclaimed " Have something to eat while I make you a drink. Would you like a screwdriver, or should I just add some of this to the spiced ciders that we have?"

"I think I would be happy with the screwdriver as a starter." Clarke smiled she waited for a few moments before asking "Wait, what didn't Jasper touch?"

"He was strictly supervised." Octavia laughed the last party she had thrown had gotten really out of hand with no explanation. It wasn't until a few weeks later that her boyfriend admitted to lacing the food with shrooms. She picked up a glass and after filling it part way with ice and orange juice, added a generous portion of the liquor that she had brought to the party. Clarke enjoyed the sweet tang the juice provided as she sipped her drink; it made the burn of the alcohol much more palatable. After savoring the flavor a little bit longer she asked. "So where did you find this guy that you're so generously setting me up with tonight. He better not be a weirdo like the last one."

"What was wrong with the last guy, he was really sweet."

"Well he was a little too into cos-play for my liking. I'm sorry but what normal person our age walks around in public wearing a cloak and Foxtail." Octavia cringed a little at Clarke's response.

"…Ok well I didn't realize that he was that into it." Clarke gave her a skeptical look and rolled her eyes. "I promise that you will like this new guy. No cloaks no talls."

"How do you know him exactly?"

"He is my brother." Octavia said voice full of caution.

"You're setting me up with your brother?" Clarke asked surprised, her friend had very rarely mentioned her family.

"He has been traveling a lot. He went back packing through Europe. I think he made it all the way to New Zealand actually."

"Oh that does sound good." Clarke smiled broadly as she swallowed the rest of her drink. It had been hard to find a guy who was as interested in traveling as she seemed to be. Most people in her home town were either content with staying put, or would have been happy going someplace with-in the US border. "Could you make me another drink?" she asked. Octavia complied with her request and the girls talked for a while longer and snaked until they both grew tired of eating. Octavia continued to play hostess and went to spend time with some of the other guests which included two people dressed as salt and pepper shakers who were smoking on the back porch.

"Clarke, I love your witch costume!" Jasper said as she made her way over to him. "Or should I say your higness." She laughed a little at the comical emphasis he put on his words.

"What are you guys playing?" she asked looking at the television screen. "Can I play the winner?"

"Sorry Clarke." A skeleton responded. "We are taking turns. You can go first when we start over." She nodded and took a seat on the couch to wait for her turn. Clarke moved her fingers across her lap in sync with the notes that showed up on the game screen. After a few rounds of guitar hero, most of the players called it quits and went outside to the beer pong game set up on the patio. Instead of following, Clarke found her way back to the kitchen and poured herself another drink.

"Clarke!" Octavia called from the back door as she made her way inside.

"Yeah," she yelled back in between sips.

"He's here. I just got a text from him saying he's parking." Octavia's face was flushed with a mix of cold and excitement. Clarke couldn't help but laugh into her cup at the way she flapped her arms up and down by her sides as she spoke.

"Ok," she answered after taking a large gulp of her spiked cider. "You go meet him at the door; I'm going to go to the bathroom real quick my crown keeps falling off." The two girls walked into the front hall, just as there was a knock at the front door. Octavia continued down the hall to answer it while Clarke went towards the bathroom and walked threw one curtain of streamers that her friend had decided to hang in every doorway in the house. Something was off however when she walked into the alcove that held a coat closet, and a small bathroom. The sounds of the party had disappeared, and there was a third door that she had never recalled being there before.

"Octavia!" she shouted, "did something happen. It sounds like the Stereo went dead," Clarke reached for the bathroom door "Hello! Is someone in hear? She asked when the handle wouldn't budge. "and someone locked the bathroom door!" she added after no one answered. "Octavia..." Clarke gasped as she turned around. The curtain that she had walked through were gone. Instead she faced a strange hall way.

Everything in the hall was made of different hues of wood. The floors and ceiling were made of a light oak, the walls of red woods and some of the doors a dark mahogany. There were a few tables with various ornaments' upon them that were also made of wood. Clarke noticed something else and walked down the strange hall until she came to one door with a small glass window set in the middle of it. "Octavia!" she shouted one more time, though she knew that the effort would be useless. Her ears rang in the silence as she stared at the door before her not sure what to do. Carefully gripping the finely carved handle she pulled the door open.

Clarke stared in disbelieve. Before her eyes was what appeared to be an immense forest. The doorway that she was standing in was inside the trunk of a tree a story off the ground. She backed up slightly uncomfortable with how close the tips of her feet were with the open air and continued to take everything in. There were some grasses and shrubs growing low to the ground, as well as several types of trees. More noticeably was a small grove of birch trees to her right by a stream. Their tall slender white trunks swayed gently in the breeze. Clarke who was still in shock, started to lean out the door to get a better look when she heard a noise from inside.

"Thief!" Shrieked a woman.. "Help! Help! There is a thief in my home!" She screamed projecting her voice towards the world past the doorway.

"No ma'am," Clarke tried to explain as the strange woman started to swat at her. "I'm sorry," Clarke threw up her hands to protect her face. "I don't know how I go hear but I'm not a thief." Clarke took a step back to avoid the woman's flying hands.

"I will not tolerate liars any more than I will tolerate thieves traipsing about in my home." The woman came close to Clarke waving her finger in her face. Clarke tried to step away once more but was already too close to the door found herself screaming as she fell from the tree and to the ground.

"What on earth did you do Harper?" asked a very familiar voice.

"I didn't do a thing; this little tart broke into my home. It is not my fault that she fell out the front door when I confronted her about it,"

"I do not believe that she simply walked out of your front door. Did you even stop to ask her why she was there?" Clarke listened to the two voices argue. The back of her head and most of her body hurt and she couldn't remember why she was lying in what felt like a bush. Forcing her eyes open she blinked trying to focus her vison.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe her when she tells me that she did not know how she got into my house. What do you take me for a naive child?" Clarke recognized the voice of the crazed woman and suddenly remembered falling out of the tree. "You know very well that I am no fool, and that I will not be lied to, by strange people who break into my home."

"No you are not a fool." Said the other voice." But you do tend to over react. You and I both know that it is possible that she ended up in your house by accident. There are stranger things that have happened." The woman made a noise of protest before speaking again.

"Look at what she is wearing. I have only seen sluts wearing clothes like that and I will not have everyone talking about how I had one in my home."

"Harper, No one ever talks about you unless it is to mention how entirely boring you are. It's not like there is anyone living close enough to have noticed this incident anyhow."

"You noticed." Harper pointed out

"Yes... well it was hard not to hear all the hollering that was in the area."

"Oh my god!" The conversation was interrupted when Clarke finally focused on her surroundings and found an enormous Bobcat standing over her. "Get away!" She shouted as she scrambled to her feet and tried to find cover on the other side of the bush that she had landed in. " Shoo." She cried while throwing a rock at it. The rock she had thrown bounced off the bobcat's nose, but it only shook its head in annoyance.

" Shoo? Is that really supposed to frighten me away? I don't look stupid do I?" He said to Harper who was standing only a few feet away from where Clarke was before. Clarke scrambled closer to the tree that was at her back, horrified by this unusual predator.

"I don't think she likes cats very much," Harper said her voice sounding more pleasant now that she had calmed down some.

"It talks!" Clarke muttered to herself in shock. "A big cat that talks."

"Of course I talk, why wouldn't I be able to." The bobcat took a few steps closer. "You would think the Princes had never seen a shifter before."

"She could be allergic, the reaction could be causing this hysteria." Harper added.

"Perhaps she hit her head and is confused." The cat grinned broadly. "Are you lost Princess?" it said to her like she was a small child. "What's your name?"

"Clarke," She said just before Harper was able to speak up and stop her.

"How dare you Jas… Cheshire. What if she really is confused? You can't trick her into giving you her name like that."

"I think it is only fair. She knows both of our names now, besides…" Cheshire stopped to take a big sniff in her direction. "She doesn't smell right. I don't think she is from here. You don't have a book do you?"

"No," Clarke said shaking her head vigorously.

"What do you mean? Is she a city girl?" Harper asked

"No" the cat took another sniff. "She smells like the other side. She won't know how to do anything if she is from the other side." A look of terror spread across Harper's face at that comment.

"How did you get in my house ?" She asked sternly

"I don't know." Clarke cried lifting her arms to protect herself from the woman.

"How could you not know? Did you walk through the front door or the back? Or, Did you smoke your way in?" Clarke gave the woman a bewildered look.

"You have to know how you got here." Cheshire added

"I don't. I was at a friend's house and I walked by some streamers on my way to the bathroom. Only I found myself in your hall way instead."

"This is not good Cheshire." Harper sighed while shaking her head. "This is not good at all. If you are right and she is not confused we will be big trouble. Others aren't supposed to be here. It's against the law." Harper started to pace from one side of the berry bush to the other as she spoke. "I moved out here to the get way from all of the trouble. I will not get in trouble for possibly harboring an illegal creature."

"Creature." Clarke said aghast. "I am a person, thank you very much, not a creature."

"And I'm a person too," Cheshire responded." But unlike you I belong here, and won't be executed if the court finds me."

"Executed. Why on earth would I be executed?"

"That is an explanation that is really better left for another time." Cheshire sounded bored as he finished talking.

"Oh Cheshire," Harper whined "What do we do? I can't put her back to where she came from. If I could have seen where she came from I would have put her back instead of scaring her out the front door!"

"No that wouldn't have changed anything." The bobcat said smiling its strange smile once again. Harper seemed to puff up slightly in irritation.

"Never mind that, what we are going to do with her? She is certainly not staying with me."

"Don't worry." Cheshire replied mockingly. "I will escort her to the Hatter's. He will know what to do with her."

"Oh no, don't bring her to him the man has enough to deal with. He is already so busy we don't need to be adding this problem to his list."

"You know what." Clarke stood up finely getting aggravated. "I have had enough of this. I'm not any one's problem. To be perfectly honest I just want to wake up or go to sleep ... or whatever will get me out of here ok! It's not like I wanted to show up in your house, or fall out of your tree." She started yelling. "All I wanted was to make sure I looked ok before I met my date, but apparently that was too much to ask for. If you two don't mind, I will go now." With a huff she pulled a few twigs out of her hair and started walking towards the stream where she began to follow its current south.

"Oh dear." Harper muttered worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "Someone is going to find her, and then she is going to tell them about us and then we will be dragged to court too."

"Don't worry Harper." Cheshire smiled, while putting a paw on her foot in a comforting motion. "I will bring her to The Hatter." The bobcat turned and sauntered off into the woods following Clarke "Oh Princes!" he shouted into the trees. "Princes you are going the wrong way!"

AN: Two Guesses who Cheshire is

I will try to update at least once a week. Let me know what you think.


	2. Talking Cats and Tea Time

**Discmaler: Only the plot is mine not the names**

"You are going the wrong way" Cheshire called again, as he approached Clarke who was walking along the stream.

"Get away from me!" Clarke growled as she watched the large feline stalk up to her.

"What, don't you like cats," Cheshire purred.

"It does not matter if I like cats or not. I happen to have a problem with being followed by wild animals."

"Wild" He chuckled. "You insult me. I'm not wild. Quite the opposite really, how many wild animals do you know that have a vocabulary as wide as mine."

"You are a Bobcat. Bobcats are undomesticated, which means you are wild... and I'm arguing with a talking Bobcat." She stopped then added with hopelessness "Oh god, Jasper must have added something besides Moonshine to that apple cider."

"You know Jasper?" Cheshire asked his ears pricking up in interest.

"I'm sure we aren't thinking of the same person," Clarke replied glaring at him.

"I don't know Jaspers can be very tricky. I would know I am one."

"Whatever." Clarke turned and started to walk again.

"Fine," The cat sighed. "Is this better?" Cheshire asked, as he stood up on his hind legs the air around him seemed to shimmer, and then in the Bobcat's place stood a boy or perhaps not, Clarke could not decide. But the person was most likely in his teens and bore a striking resemblance to her best friends' boyfriend. He wore a rawhide coat and boots, he also wore a pair of aviation goggles over his shaggy heard of dark hair.

"Of course." She said throwing her hand into the air. "You can talk so why wouldn't you be able to turn into a human."

"Acutely." Cheshire grinned "I am a man who can turn into a bobcat."

"You don't look like that much of a man to me," She shot back. Cheshire chuckled

"A young man," He amended. " Come on now." He said waving for her to come to him. "You are going the wrong way."

"I told you that I wasn't going to be anyone's problem. I'm going to find my own way home."

"You won't find anything but the executioners block looking like that." He said eyeing her up and down.

"And what exactly is wrong with how I look?" she said as she followed his eyes becoming a little self-conscious.

"Well there are twigs and berries all over you for one thing and your clothes are not exactly what is considered normal. You will be spotted and arrested almost as soon as you step into a populated area. If you want to go home come with me. The Hatter will know how to get you back, and get you looking like you belong here until that happens." Cheshire stood there waiting for Clarke to make up her mind. Begrudgingly she took a step towards him, as she did so he smiled his huge grin again.

"You smile too much," she grumbled sourly as they started to walk back up the stream.

"It's why I'm called Cheshire." He commented while hoping on a few rocks that led him across the water.

"You're named Cheshire because you smile?"

"Yep, I smile like a cat from Cheshire." He stopped for a moment a slightly confused look wiping the grin from his face for the briefest of times. "Or maybe it's because I have a Cheshire Grin no that's a Chelsea grin." He shuddered.

"So should I call you Cheshire or Jasper?" Clarke asked. "You said you were a Jasper?"

"That is one of my names. But since Cheshire is not one of the real ones it is safer." Figuring that is was one of the things better explained later Clarke took Cheshire's hand as he helped her across the stream. The pair continued to follow the flowing water. Claiming their way up hills and around bends. Sometimes walking into the forest where the water was out of sight. Time seemed to move a little faster than expected, and soon the high sun started to sink into the trees.

"Should we stop soon, and make camp." Clarke asked. It wasn't until now that she realized that she seemed to have been up for at least a full day. She had grown hungry tired and now was cursing her choice in wearing high heeled shoes. "If only I knew what was going to happen. I could have gone to the party dressed as a camper." Praying that he would say yes she was disappointed with his answer.

"No. Hatter's place is not too far off now. Besides, it is easier to find in the dark."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Well he likes to be hidden. And for the most part he is. it is nearly impossible to find his house, but looking for him gets easier at night. A while ago, Hatter had an affair with a time keeper, and when he broke things off she was so pissed that she stopped the clock. Ever since then it is always tea time at his place so it might be dark where we are but all you have to do is look for some light, because the moment you step onto his property it is as if the sun was still up. To be honest, he was sort of on the run then, and I think he did it on purpose. The light protects really well against the Reapers."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Ha you would. You other siders don't have much regard for the things that magic can do." Chucking her shoes into the surrounding undergrowth Clarke rose to her feet. They continued walking and soon Cheshire turned himself back into a bobcat so that he could guide them both threw the Dark. They didn't see the first glimpses of light until Clarke was about to give up and sleep on the stream bank until morning. "Keep going." Cheshire urged nudging the back of Clarke's leg with his head. Leaving the side of the stream Clarke and Cheshire walked towered the light, with her swearing a few times as she tripped and stumbled on roots and shrubs. As they drew closer, she noticed something peculiar happening to the plant life. The trees became larger and even the grasses and flowers increased in size. When the sky became noticeably bright Clarke saw daffodils with stalks as wide as her body.

"Do the bugs get bigger too?" Clarke asked more to herself than to anyone else.

"No," Cheshire snickered. "But the humming birds do."

"Really?"

"Only a little bit, maybe about the size of your hand." He explained turning into a human again.

"So where are we heading, now that we have found this bright part of the forest?" Clarke asked

"Straight ahead." Cheshire said pointing to an oak tree that could be seen over the tops of the Dandelions. Clarke sighed in relief.

"That doesn't look too much further."

"Don't trust the way things look around here." Cheshire chided. "I didn't look like a man when you first met me."

"Finally." She gasped, as she tried to slow her breathing. It had been another long hike, and it hadn't been until just after they had climbed over one the roots of the enormous tree that she finely saw a little house nestled within it. The house like the tree appeared small at first but as they approached Clarke fell into a state of awe. The tree appered to have been planted in the back of the house. Over the years it had started to envelop parts of the house as it continued to expand. She could see a set of windows, and a planter box poking out of some of the bark. As she started at the interesting house Cheshire walked up to the front porch and knocked firmly on the door. There was no response Cheshire knocked again. He pounded on the door three times with his fist then proceeded to use the brass knocker twice. Cheshire paused before pulling a string on the felt of the door frame that caused a chime to sound. Soon they could hear footsteps approaching, and then the door opened just enough to reveal a sliver of an old man's face, who squinted in the blinding light.

"Who are you and what do you want?" his gravely voice asked.

"I'm Cheshire. The Princess and I are looking for Bell… the Hatter." Clarke looked at the boy beside her.

"I don't know what you are talking about Boy. There be none live'en hear by the name Bell and no hat makers either." The old man went to close the door but Cheshire stuck his foot in the way.

"I am here because of an open invitation for Tea." He said determination in his voice.

"Who gave you this invitation?"

"A barber that I went to in March."

"Is that so. What kind of tea do you think you will be havien?"

"The kind that is made so hot that you have to wait some time before it cools down."

"And what about the girl?"

"She will be having Ginger. She is tired from travel, and needs the energy it will provide."

"Where has she been?" The man asked sounding interested.

"All over the map, this side and the other." The old man's eyes widened.

"Very well." He said opening the door so that they could come in. "Get in here before I change my mind." Cheshire and Clarke followed the man into his house as he shut the door and quickly locked it behind them. The man was short and thin with graying hair on his head, as well as a worn out looking flat cap. He bid them to follow as he moved through the living room and into a kitchen. The Kitchen was a small room, in the middle of the room was a table with seating for 4 people. In its center sat a lazy susan that held an arrangement of finger foods as well as a small pitcher of milk and other things to add to their tea.

"Have a seat while I put the Kettle on." Said the old man, who Clarke assumed was the Hatter. Cheshire took off his coat and hung it up on the back of his chair. It was then that Clarke noticed that he and the old man were dressed very similar. Both wore white button up shirts that were tucked in to dark colored trouser which were being held up by a set of suspenders. The only difference being that the old man also wore a sweater. Unable to keep herself up much longer Clarke collapsed into one of the chairs at the table, and politely waited as the man came back to the table and joined them. "So why did you bring me a half dressed girl from the other side?" He asked Cheshire, his voice far less agitated then it was when they were standing at his front door.

"I'm not..." Clarke started, but Cheshire shushed her by pointing out her missing shoes.

"She can't get herself back, and I figured you might know how." Cheshire answered coolly as he reached for a bite sized sandwich and popped it into his mouth.

"Why is she so dirty, and is all of that blood?" The man said looking her over.

"We've been hiking through the woods all day. That shouldn't be blood unless she got a few scratches on the way here. Most of it is from when she fell from Harper's front door." The man laughed when he heard this.

"Harper's door, ha is that how you got in?" The man looked at her amused.

"I don't know how I got here." Clarke told him.

"You must know. What where you doing before you found your way into Harper's house?" He rested his chin on his folded hands.

"I was at a party."

"And what were you doing?"

"I was going to the bathroom to fix my hair. I walked through a curtain of streamers and the next thing I know I was in Harper's hallway."

"Really! That was it? Can't be if your kind could get hear simply by walking through, whatever you called it there would be far more of your people here than we could deal with." The kettle whistled loudly from the stove top and the man rose to retrieve it. Unable to restrain herself any longer Clarke reached out for a napkin and piled a few bite sized quiches and finger sandwiches on to it. Cheshire smirked as she quickly started eating them.

"I'm Hungry." She said frowning

"I can see that." He said laughing.

"You know I've been wondering, what is this place? You keep saying I'm from the other side. But what exactly am I on the other side of?"

"Hatter. I think you are better at explaining this." The Hatter turned to them with a tea pot and cups neatly set up of a tray. As he did so his form changed. Gone was the old man and in his place was a young man. He was much taller and more taunt than thin. He still wore the same shirt and pinstriped pants, except now they were accompanied by a brightly colored paisley vest. A black bowler sat on top of a head of curly dark hair.

"You can change shape too?" he smiled at her words.

"Several people around here do." He said setting the tea tray on the table. "It comes in very handy when... you want to hide." The Hatter sat himself in his chair and began to pour the light brown liquid into each of the cups. He fixed his cup of tea and waited for everyone to do the same before he began to speak.

"When we say that you are from the other side, it's because you come from the other side of the Veil." After tacking a sip from his cup he continued. "Are you familiar with the idea of alternate dimensions? I'm sure you have heard of some. Hell, Nirvana even." Clarke bobbed her head as she dipped a cookie into her tea, and nibbled at it. "Well you could say that about this place. Right now you are in another realm of existence, however this one is a bit different from some of the others. It's difficult to conceive sometimes, but your world and ours exist within each other. "

"Used to be the same world." Cheshire put in after licking some honey off of his spoon.

"Used to be the same?" Clarke asked skeptically

"Think about it. For thousands of years humans practiced, magic and firmly believed in creatures that only recently were thought to be non-existent." The Hatter explained.

"Every person is capable of doing magic," Cheshire said taking over the conversation for a time. " There are few things in magic that are more powerful then belief. Around a thousand years ago, that started to work aganist us magical folk. When people invested there beliefs in new religions, and sciences, people started to fear us, and denied our existence altogether. There denial was so strong that the Veil came into existence."

"OK. But that doesn't tell me what the Veil is."

"It's like a curtain or wall." Hatter said. "That was made by the magic of people's fervent neede to keep us hidden. For the most part the only thing left of us in your world are words on paper."

"And this magical Veil prevents everything in your world from perceiving ours." Cheshire finished

"Ok, assuming that this is all true and I am not imaging all of this, how was I able to come here."

"I'm still thinking about that one Princess." Hatter told her as he finished his first cup of tea and poured himself another. "It is easier for a person here to cross over to your world, because we are more likely to have the magic training needed to open a door. On your side there are very few people who practice magic well enough to cross over at any time. You're not a book holder are you?" Hatter took a closer look at Clarke to see if she had any possessions with her.

"I already asked her that, she didn't really know what I was talking about." Hatter nodded to Cheshire's answer.

"What's a book holder?" Clarke asked

"The book holders, decided to stay in your world instead of coming to ours when the Veil was created. They pass books of magical knowledge on from generation to generation. Our worlds have grown apart and not entirely compatible any more. They stay on your side to prevent the vial from opening again and protect you from when it occasionally tears. If you are lucky enough to know one, they could have trained you enough in magic so that you could open a passage. However I do not think that is the case." The three sat at the table drinking there tea in silence for a while.

"What was the date?" Cheshire asked suddenly.

"It only happened today, shouldn't you know?" Clarke asked surprised by the sudden question.

"It might not be the same." Hatter said staring at her as he leaned back in his chair. "The Veil does this funny thing with time. I could cross over at 5:00 on a Tuesday morning, and end up minutes, days, possibly years in the future or in the past."

"It was Halloween."

"Now it makes sense!" Cheshire exclaimed. He looked as if he was about to jump up and dance around the room. Hatter was smiling too and answered the question he saw forming on Clarke's face

"There are a few days a year where just because enough people believe it, the Vail becomes so thin and fragile that anyone can walk through it. Just by opening a door, leaning on a mirror,"

"Falling into a hole," Cheshire said smiling into his teacup.

"Or walking through a curtain."

"That's fantastic," Clarke said smiling. "So you guys can get me home soon right?"

"We'll try, but I wouldn't say soon." Cheshire explained.

"Try? You guys said that you could cross over at any time from this side."

"We used to, crossing over has been out lawed for several years now. It takes a lot of magic, and the authorities have a way of detecting that flair up. Anyone found crossing over into your world or ours will be punished by execution. Regardless of how, or why it happened."

"Why?"

"The Red queen is afraid a book holder from your side might come here, and end her rule."

"Really? Is that even possible?"

"Yes!" Cheshire said looking at her like she had said the dumbest thing he had ever heard. "Some Little girl found her way here like ninety years ago. She embarrassed the card queen so much that she abdicated the throne. The same kid did it again when she beat the Chess queens at their schemes by waking the black king from the enchanted sleep they put him in. I think there was a book written about it in your world. My granddad was mentioned in it." He grinned with pride.

"So you can't get me home, and I am going to be killed if anyone finds me here."

"Clarke." Cheshire said trying to be comforting. "It's not that you won't be able to get home. It will just take time for us to get you back without being noticed."

"From what I can think of, we could either stanch one of the law books, and make it legal for you to go home. Or we have to wait about 50 days until the summer solstice."

"Really. It could take that long."

"Don't worry about it right now." Hatter told her as he stood up from the table and walked over to her side. "We will talk about it later. For now you should wash up and get some sleep. I can only imagine what it was like for you to get hear. I believe it would be close to midnight right about now if all my clocks weren't stuck at 2:00 pm." Clarke nodded and got up from the table while Cheshire stayed and started to drink another cup of tea. Hatter led her back into the living room and towards the back parts of the house that had grown into the large tree. Climbing up a staircase that was made of the tree's roots, he brought her to a hallway on the second floor, that was a little too much like the hallway in Harper's house for her liking.

"You can sleep in this room." He said pointing to the second door on the left side of the hallway. "There should be some clean night clothes in there for you to sleep in. And over here is the bath." He said pointing to the door right next to him on the right side of the hallway. "Towels, and soaps are under the sink. Have a good night," He said. The two of them looked at each other for a few seconds before a smile tugged at his lips and he swept his hat off his head bowing slightly before he turned and walked back down the stairs.

Following the Hatter's suggestion Clarke walked into the bathroom. There was a large counter with a sink and Mirror directly to her left. The floors and walls were decorated with beautiful blue and white Iznik tiles. In the middle of the room there was a porcelain bathtub, and a toilet in the corner, on the other side of the counter. As she walked in and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror Clarke shuddered. She looked awful. Her bloned hair was a mess and her body was covered in a grimy mix of sweat, dirt, and crushed berries. Walking over to the tub, she turned on the water and began adjusting the temperature. Once satisfied Clarke opened the cabinet under the sink. Just as Hatter had promised there was a verity of soaps, and a few towels waiting for her. She poured some of the liquid soap into the still filling bathtub, and proceeded to remove her filthy clothes. When there was an adequate level of foam floating over the surface Clarke turned off the taps and eased herself into the steaming water. She laid back against the warm porcelain and sighed as the flower scented water eased the aching soles of her feet and relived the pain in her back. She was sure that a bruise was already forming from when she fell earlier that day.

"There is no way all of this could be real." she thought to herself "I couldn't have accidentally wondered into a world where boys could turn into cats, and people could live in places where the sun never set because of time manipulation." She dunked her head under water and started to wash her hair. "Of course I don't think that I could have imagined all of this on my own. Plus even if this is all some sort of drug induced hallucination shouldn't it have ended by now?" Clarke continued to contemplate all of this as she pulled the plug and allowed the bath water drain.

After wrapping herself in a large towel, she picked up all her clothes and walked across the hall to the room she was told she given for the night. Like the rest of the house seemed to be, the room was decorated in shades of blue. There was a bed that took up most of the space in the mid-sized room, with its elaborate wooden head board pushed up to the wall. There was a dresser that matched the bed and a window that was directly opposite of the door. Closing and locking the door firmly behind her Clarke started to dry off as she searched the dresser for some clean clothes. She was delighted to find a brush and a set of pajamas that fit her. Changing quickly she started to attack the mass on knots that was in her hair. While she was doing this she walked over to the window.

It took a moment for her to notice that she was looking out from one of the widows that she had seen in the tree as she was walking up to the house. The view was generous showing far off into the forest of flowers, and beyond the property lines into some of the dark forest beyond where it was still night time. Seeing the dark was strange, like being on a brightly lit stage and gazing into the shadows at its edge. Closing the blinds to shut out the light she shuffled her way to the bed. "I guess I'll just go with it and see how things turn out," she finely concluded while she turned down the blanket and crawled under the covers. Clarke closed her eyes and smiled. The bed was soft and between having tea and the bath, she had almost forgotten how tired she was. Until moments later when she had already fell into a deep sleep.

**AN: I know I said I would update once a week but I was sick today with nothing better to do. The first few chapter or so will be a little slow because there is a lot of explain about how things in this world work.**

**Let me know what you think. **


	3. A lesson in Magic

When Clarke awoke there was a strange weight on the bed with her. She opened her eyes and to her disappointment discovered that she was sprawled out in the bed at Hatter's house instead of Octavia's. Looking towards her legs she saw the large bobcat that she had met the day before. "Get off," she groaned as she kicked him off with her feet.

"What the hell!" Cheshire shouted, waking up as he hit the floor.

"Why were you sleeping in bed with me?"

"Hatter doesn't have another guest room. And why did you push me out like that? You could have just woken me."

"I find that hard to believe," She told him. "And you shouldn't be in bed with me." She told him getting out of bed. "It's not like you're an actual cat, and the door was locked," She added remembering she had locked it before getting dressed. She walked to the window and opened the blinds. The sun was still shining brightly, except that the darkness beyond the property was no longer there.

" Doors don't normally pose a problem for me," he said standing up in human form and waving some sort of metal pick in his hand.

"What time is it?" Clarke asked ignoring the thought of this young man sneaking into the room when she had been asleep.

"Around lunch."

"Really, I slept that long." she said stretching. "Where are my clothes?" she asked after looking around the room to find them gone.

"There is an enchantment, that cleans and put's your clothes away for you. They should be in one of the dresser drawers." Get dressed and come down to the kitchen. Hatter will be done in his haberdashery soon, so we should have lunch with him. As he finished he walked out of the door. A few minutes later Clarke was sitting down at the kitchen table, holding a glass of water in her hands. Hatter had come from what turned out to be his work shop and was at the counter preparing lunch for the three of them. As far as she could tell he was wearing the same clothes that he had on the day before, with the exception of his hat which hung by the door by the door. He also had a tape measure and a cushion full of pins strung around his neck.

"So what do you do in your… haberdashery?" Clarke asked smirking at the sound of the new word.

"I make Hats." Hatter said.

"Really!" Clarke said, and to that Hatter smirked at her exclamation.

"Why else would I be called The Hatter?" He asked her.

"I don't know. A secret name, some kind of acronym maybe." Hatter let out a bark of laughter before saying.

"Yes, to an extent it is, but I really do make hats. I take a few orders from people in the city, and make them here. Helps me keep tabs on things." He brought a tray of food to the table and gestured for the other two to start eating. "Speaking of special names," he said wiggling his eye brows at her. "We need to think of one for you."

"What's wrong with Clarke?"

"No" Cheshire told her. "You might not be able to do anything, and for the most part we might not be able to do much to you. However if someone were to have a book…"

"They could do something if they had a book?"

"Books here are very powerful," Cheshire said. "But not just any book it has to be a book of shadows and none are more powerful than the two books of the queens. They are books of magic and what is written in them is law. If someone were to know your name, your true name, and they had access to one of these books they could make what we call a binding. A binding is like an agreement that you cannot break, but the kind put into a book can be made against your will as long as the person with the book has your name."

"And the binding could force me to do anything?" Clarke asked.

"Yes." Hatter confirmed. "Most people call me Hatter because it's safer. I have been Terence, Jeeves, Godfrey But my real first name is Bellamy. You are not allowed to call me that unless we are alone." He said adding the last part after a moments thought.

"I was in hiding as a cat once, and went by the name of Periwinkle." Cheshire piped in.

"Periwinkle?" Hatter and Clarke said simultaneously.

"Yes. I was hiding out in some old lady's house that is what she named me." Bellamy and Clarke just looked at him for a moment. "But I am Jasper." He finely added.

"So what should my name be?" Clarke asked after a short pause. Bellamy seemed to be in deep thought, as well as Jasper. Upon further inspection Clarke saw that Jasper was actually watching one of the enormous humming birds that he had mentioned the previous day flit about near some of the very large flowers.

"I don't know yet. I have to get back to the work shop," Bellamy said finely.

"But you just came back from there," Clarke said.

"Unfortunately one of the Duchesses placed a very large order with me. I only have about another week to complete it. Jasper... could you teach her something?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, teach her some magic maybe. She needs to know more about our world if she is going to live long enough to get home." He started to walk out the back door but stopped short. "One more thing." He walked up to Clarke and handed her a small cameo charm that was strung up on a ribbon. "You need to start wearing this all the time."

"Why?"

"It's charmed. You can't walk around here with clothes like that on. It's like my hat. You can use it to change the clothes you are wearing. Like this." Bellamy took the necklace back from her and after tying the ribbon around her neck he closed his eyes briefly in concentration as he touched the cameo. Clarke felt an odd tugging at the edges, and seams of her dress, and in moments looked to see herself wearing a floor length dress styled like something that might have been popular in an early Sears catalog.

"That looks so much better." Jasper smiled as he looked her over. Clarke glared at the teenager, not liking the way he was eyeing her.

"Yes," Bellamy agreed." You will blend in much easier now." He went to the door again. "I'll see you soon," He said to them both as he walked out the door.

"OK I'm going to teach you today." Jasper said later that afternoon. After they had finished eating, Jasper had Clarke walk with him out into the woods past Bellamy's property. "Now what to teach you?" He screwed his face up into a scowl as he paced back and forth. "Ahh! Magic. Today I will start teaching you about magic, and you will learn how to hide."

"Really? I don't need magic to hide."

"So you are capable of camouflaging yourself perfectly against any background?" He asked, when she shook her head he continued." Today's lession will consist of going over a simple hiding technique, which can be used anywhere. Watch." Jasper took a few steps backwards, closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply. At first nothing happened but after a while Clarke began to notice a very odd color shift occurring on his skin and clothes. Splotches of color changed and moved across his body until finely he was rendered nearly invisible against the surrounding forest. Only a vague silhouette gave him a way.

"Jasper that was amazing!" Clarke shouted delighted. She could hear him laugh and the air rippled as he walked up to her.

"The best part is that if you can keep a good focus the effect will change for you as you move." Clarke jumped slightly as the grinning boy dropped the charm and re-apaired in front of her. "Hopefully by the end of the day you'll be able to do that to." He sat down in the leaves and motioned for her to do the same. When Clarke was sitting in front of him he began to talk again.

"The key to preforming magic, is will and belief. When a person is doing magic they are in some way harnessing the energies of the universe and using it to fulfill their own wishes. People do it every day whether they realize it or not. A scared or embarrassed teenager could will themselves to be invisible, or a small child can create a monster under their bed if they _truly_ believe that it is there. The only reason you don't hear about disappearing people, and strange creatures every day in your world is because the will and belief is not strong enough. In order to bend something to your will you must have a desire so great, that it has no other choice but to obey you. For something to be real you must believe in its existence so strongly that there is absolutely in doubt in your mind. You can't really do magic with just one of them either, you need both. The will to do the magic, and the belief that the magic you are doing is working." Clarke nodded in response. " What I want you to do is close your eyes and focus on the light." He stopped and waited for her to do what he had told her. "Focus on the way it feels when it is shining on you, the way it can change how colors appear." Jasper watched as Clarke's face furrowed in concentration.

She could feel the warmth on her skin, and could start to feel the rays of light move as the air shifted through the trees. " Now imagine that you are not hear think about what everything in the area would look like if you were not hear, and then believe it."

Jasper waited quietly as Clarke tried to envision the forest, and what the ground she was sitting on looked like. She thought about the tree that was against her back.

"Now, you have to believe that the picture you have in your head is real. Believe that you really can't be seen." Clarke tried to do what Jasper said. She tried believing as best as she could, but still doubted it was possible despite seeing it happen only moments ago.

"I don't think it's working," She said opening one eye to look at him.

"Come on Clarke just believe that I can't see you." Clarke opened her other eye let out a frustrated sigh. "Jasper! I barely believe that I am in this place," She admitted. "Believing in a talent for turning invisible is going to take a while." Jasper looked at her disapprovingly.

"I don't know how to convince you that we are real, but you had better start believing. It would be ironic if you put yourself in a deadly position thinking you couldn't possibly be harmed in this "dream" of yours, only to have yourself die."

"It dosen't help that you look like my best friends boyfriend." She said annoyed. The young man smirked then grabbed a small rock from the ground and threw it at her. "Hey! What was that for?" she complained.

"A little revenge for yesterday." He said smiling. It took a moment for Clarke to remember that she had indeed hit him with a rock they day before. "You are going to start practicing with that. Seeing as you still think you are in a dream land, and you are aware of being in a dream, you should be able to make whatever you want happen." He watched in anticipation for Clarke to try again. She stared back at him until she finely asked.

"What?"

"I'm waiting for you to make that rock disappear."

"Oh." She replied blushing. She carefully went through all the instructions Jasper had talked her through earlier. First focusing on the light then, picturing what her hand would look like if the rock was not there. Then began think repeatedly. "There is no rock, in my hand." After several minutes of intense concentration she opened her eyes she was disappointed to see the rock there.

"I suppose I should be happy that you were able to do something with it." Jasper told her hours later as they were heading back to Hatters house. "Even if all you did was make the rock look like a different colored rock." She did not like the condensing to that had crept into his voice."

"Stop complaining." Clarke said scowling. "It's not like I practice this kind of thing all the time." She looked around and swore under her breath when she couldn't see Cheshire anywhere. "Show off!" She shouted at the space he had just occupied.

"I hope you are not referring to me."

**This chapter is the last one for a while that is heavy on explanations of how things work. The next chapter will be more interesting. As you might be able to tell I will now be referring to the Cheshire as Jasper, and The Hatter as Bellamy. As always let me know what you think. Also the Character names are not mine.**


	4. The Knight and The Haberdashery

Chapter 4

Clarke jumped at the sound of the voice behind her. Slowly she turned around to see an armored man upon horseback looking down at her.

"Of course not Sir." She said trying to think of something else to say. "I beg pardon. I had dropped a blue hair ribbon out here earlier today. I was about to pick it up when a raven swooped in and took it." She sighed for effect as she wondered where she had pulled that lie from. "I tried following the bird to see if I could get it back." She continued. "Only now that I'm on my way home has it showed up again." The knight his brown eyes full of concern.

"Would you like me to get it back for you?" he asked "I could shoot it down and retrieve your ribbon for you." Clarke laughed nervously, surprised that he believed her lie.

"No, thank you. The bird can keep the ribbon. I will get a new one." She smiled brightly up at him and then it occurred to her that a knight on horseback might not be seen very often near the Bellamy's house. "May I ask good sir what has brought you all the way out hear?"

" I am here on behalf of the Red Queen. The court has detected an unusual flair of magic in parts of this forest. I have been sent to visit all the nearby homes and check for anyone who may have crossed over." It took some time before Clarke could recover from the shock delivered by that statement.

"Oh no!" She squeaked not needing to try sounding horrified. "Do you know if anyone got threw yet?"

"No I haven't been able to find anything yet. The old Rabbit Farmer claims that he saw a strangely dressed woman and a bobcat wondering the forest yesterday. But he will make up all kinds of sorties."

"Oh yes I have heard about him. I think the pour man has gone insane." Clarke cursed herself the moment the words left her mouth, she had no idea who the rabbit farmer was, and she didn't know what she would do if the Knight found out she was lying.

"Quite right, he has lost more than his fair share of marbles." The Knight said laughing. "Young Lady," he said when he sobered up a little. "Are you familiar with a Hatter that lives nearby?"

"Oh Yes." She said pausing for a moment as she franticly thought of a reason why. "I live with him, he is my grandfather." She said trying to mask her cringe by coughing. "If you follow me I can take you there." The knight nodded, and dismounted from his horse so he could walk with her.

"Odd little house." He commented as they made it to the tree engulfed house. The knight marveled at the vast oak. He tied his horse to a piece of root. Clarke nodded and beckoned for him to come up to the door with her.

"Grandfather, I'm back." She called as she opened the front door of the house, hoping that Bellamy would catch her hint and change into character.

"In the kitchen." Said the same gravelly voice that greeted her and Jasper the previous day.

"I have a visitor with me. I hope you don't mind." She started to explain as she walked into the kitchen with the knight right behind her. Clarke was relived when she saw Bellamy as the old man she met the day before. He squinted distastefully at the Knight who came in with her.

"I might not mind him being here. It depends on why he's come." Bellamy moved away from the kitchen counter and sat in his chair.

"I don't mean to intrude." The Knight answered jovially. "I am on official business of the Red Queen. As I told your lovely granddaughter here, it would seem that a large force of magic was expended sometime late yesterday morning. I have been sent here to TonDC to see if there have been any sightings of a person who has crossed over from the other side. You haven't seen such a person have you?"

"No I have not. I'm too busy filling my orders to be messing with strange people, whether they are form this side or the other. Have you checked with the Rabbit farmer, he always has his nose where it don't belong, if any one saw something it would be him."

"I have, but my records show that he is fairly unreliable. Besides, he was the only resident who had anything to say on the matter."

"Well that is unfortunate. Perhaps there was no one crossing over. There have been false alarms before."

"It is possible. How about you?" He said turning to Clarke. "I'm sorry, I did not asked your name?"

"Oh." She looked towards Bellamy briefly but all he could do was give her a subtle shrug. "My name." she raked her mind for something that might sound passible. "Is Lillabeth." There was a moment of stillness and she realized that the Knight was waiting to give a sure name as well. "Lillabeth Topplepot."

"Great. Miss Lillabeth, did you see anyone in the forest, with the exception of that thieving bird."

"No my good knight I have not seen a thing." She answered trying to sound as innocent as possible.

"Then I am sorry to have disturbed you, and bid you both a good day." The knight went to leave the kitchen and towards the front room, when he stopped. "I'm sorry Lillabeth did you say that your last name was Topplepot?" Clarke noticed a very subtle wince from Bellamy.

"Yes I did." She answered firmly. She was unnerved when the Knight smiled and exclaimed, "The Queen will be over joyed to hear this news."

"What News?" Clarke asked confused. The knight looked at her with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Why there is a very large estate in the Arc waiting for you."

"But why?"

"I'm so sorry," Bellamy butted in. "The Girls parents passed away when she was very young. Her relation to the main branch of the Topplepot family was so distant that I did not think it would matter if I told her. To my knowledge the family was still large and thriving."

" That has not been the case for some time now." The Knight told them. "After Queen Arora died, and the two Queens began to rule in cycles, the Topplepot's began to lose favor. Most of them were banished for disagreeing with the White Queen's policy on the limitation of magic. The rest have passed on. The Red Queen would give the confiscated estates back to the family, if only there was an Heir of good standing. After thinking the family had died out, she will be glad to restore the good name." as he finished his story he grabbed Clarke's arm and started to tug her to the door. "Come Lillabeth, I should take you to Arc immediately."

"Please don't take her." Bellamy said loudly while getting up from his chair. There was a brief moment of quiet where Clarke thought Bellamy appeared surprised by his own outburst. "She is my beloved granddaughter. She is my only company. She has not been to the city as many times as I have. Leave her hear, and I will bring her with me in another week." The Knight seemed to think about this, and then let go of Clarke's arm.

"That is a reasonable request. When I have finished my investigation of the area, I will let the Queen know that she will be arriving in a week. A messenger bird will send her invitation to the palace." The Knight smiled once again. "Thank you for your time. If you see any other siders please notify the officials in the city immediately." With a quick bow to them he opened the front door to the front room and left. Before the front door was even closed Bellamy was back in his younger form, with a very unpleasant look on his face.

"You had to spit that name out of your mouth." His words came out more as a general statement and not a question. "This is why I told you WE would come up with your name. Now they will be expecting you in the capitol and that is the last place you should be!" He shouted while glaring at her in much the same way he was when the knight had walked into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry!" Clarke replied her voice raised to match Bellamy's volume. "I don't know anything about high society in your world. I made the name up when I looked over at the sink, how am I supposed to know what families are Nobel or not. Be happy I ended up picking a name where there is no family left to tell everyone I was lying." Bellamy's expression softened a little when she had pointed this out.

"That is true." He sighed as he took off his hat and ran his fingers threw his dark hair. "I think you might be more trouble then I thought. I'm just happy Jasper came to my work shop and told me what had happened." He sat down in his chair and looked up at her. "I had only just gotten into the house when you came in."

"Is that where he went?" Clarke asked him." I didn't mean to cause trouble by bringing him here, but I don't think that it would have been an issue if Jasper didn't skip out on me,"

"What do you mean?" Bellamy asked.

"One moment I was arguing with him about his lession and next thing I know he has vanished and I am left looking like a fool in front of that Knight. The story about you being my grandfather was the best that I could come up with on the spot like that." Bellamy shrugged and put his hat back on his head. "Some of the knights can be incredibly gullible, specially the white ones like the one we saw today. He might be completely loyal to the Queens, but there code of conduct results in them having a difficult time believing that young ladies such as you would lie for any reason. Now I have already sent Jasper off to get in touch with a few people I know. We could work this trip to our advantage. Maybe we can even get you home sooner then we first thought." They both smiled as he finished talking. "As for Jasper running off, forgive him for that. He is not a favorite in Arc, and you being seen with him could have caused a problem that neither of you could lie our way out of."

"Why, what has he done?" Clarke asked. Bellamy rubbed the back of his neck.

"He was involved in an attempt to steal the book of the queen. Anyone who sees him is supposed to turn him in. Lucky they only saw his face, and never go his name."

"Because they can't bind him?" Bellamy nodded. "So what should we do now?"

"Well my dear "Lillabeth"," Bellamy smirked at her. "In order for me to plan how to steel the book ourselves, and to teach you the ways of the city highlife, I am going to need to finish my orders ahead of time. Are you any good at sewing?" Clarke nodded and followed Bellamy out the back door of the house and to a building at a slightly different part of the tree. It was a quaint little building that looked like a mix between a house and a store. As they entered, there was the tinkling of a bell.

"It's beautiful!" she said when she looked at the room. The workshop seemed to contain one room with the majority of it's space taken up by shelves and shelves of all kinds of fabric in almost every shade imaginable. There was a long wooden table that had multiple model heads set up along one wall. There was a second table with scraps of fabric lying about, as well as several spools of different colored thread. There was a large cabinet that had what appeared to be hundreds of little drawers and containers filled with different accessories.

"Thank you." Bellamy replied. "Now come here." He beckoned her over to his work bench and pushed a stack of cut fabric towards her. "All of these pieces have been measured and cut already, all I need you to do is follow the marked patterns in this book." He stopped to hand her a large book that had been sitting on some hidden shelf under the table." Make sure you only sew pieces of the same color."

"Ok." After carefully examining the Pattern book and the pieces that she was working with, she started to sew the bits of fabric together. The first few stitches on the hat were sloppy and Bellamy made her do them over, complaining about how he was a man a quality, and that shoddy work would not be tolerated. Clark rolled her eyes wanting to explain that she was used to sewing up people. With some practice Clarke got the hang of it began to sew hats quickly befor handing them to Bellamy who added any final touches. There was a few times where Clarke watched him cross the room and use a few intersting feathers. "What kind of bird do those come from?" she asked eventually.

"The big plumes come from Bolrigorves." He said still focused on the hat.

"I've never heard of those before," Bellamy looked at her.

"You wouldn't have, they are from here. Funny looking things. They are tall and skinny, but you wouldn't know that unless it's been plucked. They look like a brightly colored ball of fluff, with legs and a beak." He said moving his hands to demonstrate a large circle.

"I would like to see one," Clarke said, she looked at the feathers that Bellamy was now sewing onto a hat. "Taking all those feathers doesn't hurt them?" Bellamy shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know, But they don't seem to minde." They began to work in silence again. It wasn't until Clarke started on her fifth hat, that she realized she hardly knew a thing about this man that she had been staying with. "Why do you live all the way out here by yourself Bellamy?" He didn't answer at first due to a number of pins that he was holding in his mouth. After a few seconds when he was able to stick them in a pincushion he answered.

"I like it out here, the quiet makes it easier to get my work done."

"And pretending to be an old man has nothing to do with that?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not. The Queens love me, I never tried to take their books, or disobey there laws by hiding illegal othersiders." Clarke smiled at the sound of the sarcasm in his voice.

"Have you been to the other side?"

"Oh yeah loads of times." Clarke gasped in mock surprise

"Where was your favorite place?"

"I'm not sure, I always seem to end up at a different place and time. I spent the most time in Paris and Boston; I think maybe a year or two each. Other than that I have been to the South Pacific many times," Clarke stopped her Sewing and looked at him "Yes?" He said as a means of getting her to ask her next question.

"How old are you?"

"That is an awfully personel question." He said pretending to be affronted. "Why do you want to know?"

"No particular reason. I'm just trying to do the math, you did all this traveling to the other side at least four years, plus however much time you have spent living here between trips. You said something yesterday about crossing over having been illegal for a few years now. I just want to know what you really look like. Are you the old man who I said was my grandfather, or are you the man I see know?" Bellamy Grinned.

"I like your thinking. Keep it up and you might get pretty good at making your way around here." He took off his hat and set it on the table. "I will give you a hint about how I really look." He told her as he walked close enough to whisper in her ear. "I can't change without my hat."

"Do you think there is someone listening in on us?" Clarke asked wondering why he came so close. To her surprise he started laughing.

"No, no. I was just joking around. This is what I look like" Clarke smiled taking a brief moment to admire him before she turned back to the hat she was sewing.

"You never told me how old you are."

"Guess first."

"27."

"Do I really look that old?" Clarke shrugged. "25." He corrected. "Now it's my turn to ask questions."

"What?"

"You asked questions about me, so now I'm going to ask questions about you. How old are you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because, I can ask any questions I want."

"No you can't, you guys said I shouldn't tell people this stuff." Bellamy simply stared at her until she finely answered, "23."

"Ok. What do you do?" Clarke raised an eye brow at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you don't just sit around all day dressed in princess outfits? What do you spend most of your time doing?"

"I go to school."

"I'm assuming at your age this is some sort of higher education?"

"I'm studying to be a Doctor of Medicine. I always like helping people." She said looking dreamily at the far side of the room, Bellamy nodded.

"Is all that science why you still believe that all of this is not real?" Clarke was surprised by the question

"Why would you ask that?"

"Jasper told me that you do not believe that this side is real." Bellamy seemed surprisingly concerned about what she would say.

"I haven't decided yet. I am having trouble defending the idea that this," she stopped briefly as she waved her arms in the air to indicate everything around her. "Is not something that I have made up in my head. Everything here seems too fantastic to believe. The idea of two dimensions existing within each other." She shook her head "I'm sure that someone had thought of it before, but for it to be real, Well that just doesn't seem possible. I have decided that I will just let things play out for now, if something happens that makes me believe then I will let you know." Bellamy looked at her for a moment before nodding.

"That's a fair answer. Come on now I think that it should be time to turn in for the day." He started to put his things away and motioned for Clarke to follow him. Clarke's eyes stung when she walked outside. When her eyes adjusted she notice that there was a raven sitting perched on one of the window frames near the back door of the Bellamy's house. "That was fast." Bellamy groaned as he walked up to the raven. Tied to its leg was a small capsule that contained a long thin scroll of Paper.

"What is it?"

"This Miss Lillabeth is your invitation for a meeting at the palace… with the queen."

**Finely getting to the interesting stuff XD. As always let me know what you think can't make anything better unless you let me know it needs fixing. **

**Also the Character and place names are not mine.**


	5. A Trip to Market

**This is definitely the point where things start to get more plot driven. There will also be a lot more references to the actual Alice and wonderland stories. As always let me know what you think can't make anything better unless you let me know it needs fixing. **

**Also the Character and place names are not mine.**

Chapter 5

The rest of the week had passed by quickly. Clarke had not seen Jasper since he disappeared on her, but apparently he had been to the house a few times. When she had asked where he went Bellamy said nothing except that Jasper was running a few errands for him, and that he suspected the boy might be afraid of her wrath. With Clarke's help Bellamy was able to finish all of his orders a few days early. Which allowed him more time to coach Clarke on the mannerisms of the people at court.

"You must never look anyone in the eye unless it is the queen asking you a question, or if you know that the person that you are with is safe. This is not only out of respect, but also for your protection. There are people who can do some interesting stuff to you through eye contact. Also, be careful how you talk. The members of the court have a peculiar ascent. Try and copy it if you can."

"Why did you try stealing the books the first time?" She had asked once while trying to look at a map he had in front of him. To her disappointment Bellamy's only reply was a waving of his hand to send her away.

"Ok do we have everything that we need?" She asked him the day they planned to journey to the city.

"Yes we should." He said carefully stowing the last hat box in a wooden cart. The cart had been hooked up to a strange animal that Bellamy had told her that it was called a Bandersnatch. He had made an arrangement with it some time ago, to have food and shelter available for it. In exchange it would pull the cart and keep any Jabberwockies that might be in the area far away. Clarke decided that she did not want to know what a Jabberwocky was, and asked no further questions on the matter. Soon they were off walking towards the forest. Darkness fell as they walked away from the house where the sun always shined, and the only light that could be seen, was the blue gray light of the approaching dawn. The pair walked through the wood, and found the stream that She used to first get to Bellamy's house. She was surprised at how pleasant the walk was now that she was not exhausted.

"Is there a road for us to walk on?" She asked when they finely got near Harper's house by the stream.

"Yes there is one we should come across a bridge, it will lead us straight to Arc. We might be able to hit the market by lunch when the shopping is best." True to his word they came across the mentioned road almost as soon as they turned around the first bend in the river. Clarke still found herself amazed as she watched the Bellamy's form melt away into the shape of an old man.

"Out of all the shapes you could have chosen why disguise yourself as an old man?" She asked him after they helped the Bandersnatch haul the cart up onto the road.

"I can still become other people if I want to. This look just suits me the best. I am more likely to avoid attention as some old and possibly insane hat maker. People don't really bother me when I am like this unless they know who I really am, or want to place an order." The walk to the capitol was not as long as Clarke expected. It took less than an hour, and the weather was comfortable. She didn't notice how close they were getting at first, but suddenly the forest opened up to wide expanses of farmland. Clarke tried not to gape at the strange looking produce that they passed in the fields.

The road itself seemed to be at the very edge of all of the farmland, and befor she knew it they were at the wall. The intimidating expanse of light colored stone blazed white in the midday sun. The Main gate was not nearly as frightful as she expected. The large doors were covered in bronzed carvings. As they approached she noticed a small window on one side of the gate.

"What do you want?" Asked the man on the other side after Bellamy knocked on it. Clarke tried to stifle a laugh as the man reminded her of the Emerald City guard in the Wizard Of Oz.

"I have delivery of goods that I need to bring into the city. You must let me through the Duchess will have your head if I am late with her order."

"What are you carrying?"

"Hats." The guard stared him down for a moment, and then ducked out from behind the window.

"Open the gates!" Clarke heard his muffled voice shout. There was a loud grinding sound and slowly the massive doors began to open. Once they were wide enough, Bellamy and the Bandersnatch went threw only to be stopped shortly after by the same guard that was at the window. "I must inspect the cargo." He told them apologetically. " It's the Queen's orders."

"Why has she suddenly increased security? I come through at least once a month and I have never had this problem before." Bellamy grumbled.

"Didn't you hear? There have been rumors of an other-sider crossing over. The Queen has ordered extra security precautions until they are found." Bellamy nodded solemnly.

"That is a terrible thing I hope that you all find them soon." Clarke and Bellamy watched as the guard opened and looked through each box. At one point Bellamy asked the guard what he was looking for in all of his hats. To this the guard answered that the queen thought someone might try to smuggle a shrunken other-sider into the city.

"This is a lot of trouble over nothing." Bellamy grumbled and Clarke wasn't sure if he was really annoyed, or just trying to keep up the grouchy old man façade.

"I'm sorry for the trouble, you and the young lady can go now." The guard told them. As they started to walk through the gate Bellamy leaned over to her and whispered.

"Funny that they are looking for you in a hat box, and instead you walk in right under their noses," She smiled as he quietly chuckled to himself. Clarke's laughter stopped suddenly as she was able to look at the actual city.

Arc was an oddly beautiful city of gothic architecture combined with the strangeness of an M.C. Escher painting. There were buildings that had doors leading to nothing but thin air, much like the front door of Harper's house. At one point she could swear that she saw someone walking on the underside of a walk way connecting the upper floors of two buildings. Her suspicions of the city's strangeness were only confirmed when Bellamy told her that they were heading up to the main market place.

"Didn't you say that the market was up hill?" She asked as he led them to a walkway that was gently sloping downhill.

"Yes, and this is the fastest way there," He told her as they started down the road. Clarke stopped paying attention to it as she observed the patterns in the walls that the white green and red bricks made. She had expected to feel the road slope upwards at some point, but the buildings opened into a large plaza, and as Clarke looked around she noticed that between some of the buildings was a view that starched out way beyond the city walls.

"How is that even possible?" She gasped as she marveled at the idea of somehow getting up by climbing down.

"Magic, my dear granddaughter." Bellamy chuckled." Here anything that you could imagine is possible." He smirked. They walked through the market place looking for the spot where Bellamy normally parked his cart and sold all of his merchandise. As they made their way Clarke took in the variety of merchants and there goods. There were old women selling jewelry, men in make shift smoke shops selling exotic types of tobacco and other smokabel foliage. People selling food, people selling clothes, animals, and even a few elderly women telling fortunes and trading favors for magic potions and spells." here we are." Bellamy said cheerfully when they arrived at a vacant spot among all of the stalls. The Bandersnatch stopped, and made a happy groaning sound as Bellamy unhooked the cart from its back. Clarke smiled and patted the huge beast while Bellamy made some adjustment to the sides of the cart until it resembled a seller's stall.

"So how many customers do you have picking up orders today?" Clarke asked him

"The duchess will be coming by to pick up most of the lot. The lady likes to stay in fashion," Then he leaned over and whispered to her. "She had lost a lot of weight, and needs hats for her new wardrobe. The rest of the orders are much smaller ones." Almost as if it were to prove his point a small man cam walking up to the stand and paid Bellamy a few gold coins for a black and blue top hat that he had ordered. Clarke sat and chatted with Bellamy for a while watching him sell his hats.

" Lillabeth it is so good to see you today." Clarke was startled when the Knight that she had come across in the woods came up to them near the end of the day. "And it is so good to see you too." He said looking at Bellamy. He was quite handsome without all of his armor on. Today the only armor that he wore was a chest plate, and a red and white cape. He was tall with straight brown hair, and bright brown eyes. "Are you enjoying your time in the city?" Clarke nodded.

"It's beautiful." She said.

"I have a gift for you." He said

"You do?" Bellamy said a note of irritation crept into his voice. "I will not let her accept strange gifts from strange men."

"I beg pardon, I thought that since she had lost her old one," He dipped his hand into a pocket. And pulled out a blue ribbon. "I would spare you the task of buying a new one." He handed it to her. "I'm sorry if it is the wrong color. I thought that you might like this one."

"It's perfect." She told him smiling. "That was so thoughtful of you. I will be sure to wear it when I go to see the Queen tomorrow." The knight smiled in a bashful manor. "I'm sorry but I don't believe I know you name. If asked I would like to say who gave this to me." He smiled even more before replying.

"My name young lady is Sir, Finn Collins."

" thank you Sir Finn."

"You are most welcome." He bowed slightly to the both of them. "I would love nothing more than to talk to the both of you, but unfortunately I have a patrol that I must be on. I hope to see you both soon." He took a moment to kiss the back of Clarke's hand and then promptly made his way back into the crowded market place.

"Clarke you shouldn't have done that."

"What?"

"He is clearly smitten with you; you should not trick a man into giving you so much of his name like that. You could practically own him, if you used it against him."

"I wasn't intending to do that," She told him, "but now that you mentioned it, his might be useful." Bellamy smiled. As they finished talking, a large group of people in expensive looking clothes came up to them.

"Hello Mr. Kain." A petite women said stepping forward. She wore a bright blue dress with a matching blue and black corset and lace. She had her red hair curled with half of it done up into a French twist.

"Duches Glass," He said charmingly. "How is my best customer doing today?"

"Very well thank you. Kain, who is this young lady you have with you?" She briefly looked between the two of them almost distastefully.

"She is my granddaughter. She has never been to Arc before, but she managed to gain an audience with the queen."

"Oh that is lovely," She said briefly clapping her gloved hands together. "I am so happy for you my dear. I suggest that you bring the queen a gift for when you go to her? The best that you could do is go to the baker in Bolton square and buy a few dozen of the raspberry tarts. They are her favorites."

"Thank you my lady." Clarke said bowing her head in respect. "I will most definitely take your words to heart while I prepare for my visit."

"My dear Kain," she said to Bellamy as she handed him a leather pouch full of coins. "Do you have anything for her to wear? It would not be appropriate for her to wear such a frock to the royal palace."

"Oh yes duchess we did manage to put together something that will be appropriate." She smiled sweetly at him.

"I would bet half of my fortune that you made it for her, didn't you." She said beaming. "Kain I have no idea where you find the time to do the things that you do. Young lady you are lucky to have a grandfather like him." She looked at Bellamy adoringly. "Come along." She said referring to her enterouge. "We need to get these packages home. It was so nice seeing you." she said to Bellamy. "I will see you in court tomorrow Lillabeth." With a slight wave of her hand she took the last box from the cart.

"How did she know my name?"

"It's hard to say. I am sure that she was there when your Sir Finn told the queen about you." He grinned at her. "Come on, now that we have finished we have some business to tend to." Bellamy got up and with a rough pat on the head he woke the Bandersnatch. "Let's go Asher, I'm bringing you to the stables for the night." Asher stretched and yawned, as he got up to follow Bellamy. They walked to the west side of the Plaza to where there was a stable for all of the animals that the vendors had brought with them. "Ok Asher." Bellamy said once he brought the Bandersnatch a roomie stall. "We paid for your board for three days. If anything happens and we don't come for you, just go home ok." The beast made a snorting noise, and Bellamy gave it a final pat on his head. "See you later." Bellamy turned to Clarke. "Lillabeth we have some people that we need to go meet." Without another word he walked out of the stable.

Night was falling upon the city, and there was a yellow glow from the lit gas lamps. Bellamy turned into an alleyway that opened up onto a roof top.

"Lillabeth you are going to need to change your clothes for where you are going." He told her, as he walked out of the shadows. Bellamy had already changed form and was now wearing a slightly formal jacket over his normal shirt and pants as well as a top hat on top of his neatly combed hair. Clarke almost laughed at what she thought was eye liner. Looking him over Clarke got the impression that he resembled some sinister character you might come across in a story by Edger Allen Po, or Jules Vern. "We are going… well I guess you would call it a night club. Something like what you might have gone to in your world, please try and think of a more modern, " he made a comical face when he said that word. "Version of something you saw today. Do you remember how to change your clothes?" Clarke remembered how Bellamy explained the use of the cameo necklace since the first time he did a week ago, but so far she had little success at getting the charm to work accept to create a few adjustments to the size and color of the garment.

Clarke thought hard about what it was that she would like to wear. The only bit of clothing that she had seen all day that she liked was the dress that the duchess had on. She tried to envision it clearly in her mind thinking of how it could look modern. Based on what Bellamy was wearing she thought that it might be good to change the dress's color to black and white. She was so focused on all of the details that she was trying to picture that she did not notice the strange tugging and pulling sensation of her changing clothes.

"Very good," He told her. Clarke was startled by his exclamation and opened her eyes. "You finally managed some magic. I'm happy for you." He turned away from her and walked across the roof to a nearby wall that was crumbling. Bellamy stopped at one of the doorways that was in the weakening wall and examined it carefully. Clarke followed his gaze and noticed a rabbit drawn above the door in white chalk. "Ok Princess, follow me," Bellamy stepped through the archway and vanished.

" Bellamy?" she asked as she carefully looked threw it, all that she could see was the shadowy interior of an old building that she thought should have been condemned. "Bellamy?" she called again she stuck her hand through the door and jumped back from the door way when it vanished from sight. Cautiously she moved her arm through the door again and watched it disappear. Whatever was on the other side of the door that she could not see grabbed her arm. Clarke shrieked as the thing tugged on her hand hard and pulled her through the doorway.

**Hope you liked this chapter. Reviews are most welcome**

**Big thanks to Libertied Insanity**


	6. On The Run and GO

**There is a conversation in this chapter that references Classic Rock. See the author's note at the end of the chapter if it is confusing.**

Chapter 6

What was on the other side of the door was not what she expected to see. They had walked on to a type of raised walk way that surrounded a huge dance floor. The White Rabbit as she decided to call the place was more modern by her standers than she thought it would be. There was a back lit bar at the far side of the large room, and along the walls of the walkway that made its way around the entire room were tables where all sorts of people were enjoying themselves. The music was mostly loud bass tones, and synthesizers, and lights flashed and moved in sync with it.

"You were taking too long," Bellamy shouted over the music as he relaxed his hold on her arm. "Let's get away from the door now." Clarke looked behind her. To the naked eye there was no door just more wall, but she did see a piece of molding the looked suspiciously like a door knob. Bellamy led Clarke along the walk way towards the bar, and avoided most of the people who were out on the dance floor. "Wick!" Bellamy called to the man at the bar. Clarke was happy to see that the bartender was not too busy at the moment.

"What can I get for you?" He asked.

"We'll be having a signing time bomb, and a mad tea party." Wick grinned.

"Will you wanting the little bird there as well?"

"Yes." Bellamy pulled a few coins out of his pocket and slapped them down on the countertop.

"Go to the table at the north east corner your waitress will be there soon." Bellamy nodded and walked away. They didn't get very far before he stopped mid step and started scanning the club.

"What are you looking for?" Clarke asked.

"I'm looking for our table," He told her. She watched him of a moment longer. His head was bobbing to the music slightly the flashing lights gave him a predatory appearance. "There it is." He finally said, as he started to weave his way through the crowd. He was walking faster than Clarke and she was having trouble keeping up with him, considering there were so many people around. Thankfully she could see his top hat above the crowed, and continued to follow him as she dogged the dancing couples. There was a short time where Clarke could not see him at all but when she did see him again he was already sitting in a secluded alcove.

"Who is this?" The other man at the table asked Bellamy after Clarke sat down.

"This is Lillabeth. She is a Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars kind of person."

"What on earth are you talking about? And who is this man." Clarke asked confused.

"This is Miller, he is a traveler like me. Spent a lot of time in your world between 1970 and 1992. Big fan of all your music."

"My music?"

"Well, nothing that you actually wrote yourself. Of that I'm sure."

"Lets see if she can pass our test? You were separated from her in the crowed. It is possible that she is an imposter, and only a star man can pass my test."

"That might be something." Bellamy agreed "Do you think she will know it?"

"She should, all of the songs were popular."

"Yes but she didn't exist yet the last time you were there."

"She should still know the answers." Miller told Bellamy with an air of finality. The Large man looked at Clarke and cleared his throat . "Is this the real world?" Clarke had to think for a moment before she started to smile and replied.

"Or is this just fantasy." He nodded

"Sting was part of?"

"The Police."

"Name a Clash Record."

"London Calling. Try something Harder." Clarke said grinning.

"No, I think that is enough." Bellamy said interrupting them. "As you can see she is a star man. Now back to business. We need to talk about how we are going to get her back…" Bellamy stopped whispering as a waitress with dark hair walked up to the table carrying a tray. She was scantily clad in a short skirt, and a snugly fitting top.

"I have your drinks gentleman." She said as she placed the try on the table and sat down next to Miller.

"Raven, how nice of you to finally join us." Miller said and began a similar, if not less dificult version of the same test he had given Clarke.

"Good we are all here. How has everything been coming along? Have either of you been able to find any information that might help?" Bellamy asked his question as he rested his head on his folded hands.

"There have been a lot of rumors spreading around for the last week or so." Raven told him. "I was up at the castle for most of the week. Let me tell you the Queen is afraid. I was able to follow her up to the book room, but she is always has it guarded."

"Well that is something useful. Where is the book room?" Bellamy asked he seemed happy with the information. "Has it been moved since last time?"

"What do you mean last time?" Clarke asked.

"Last time we tried to take it of course." Raven said. "Bellamy wasn't happy with the Queens, and tried to take both of their books the last time they switched power. Jasper was with him and they were discovered, but thankfully escaped before they could be captured and executed."

"Thank you Raven," Bellamy commented sounding angry. "For that necessary history lesson. Where did you see the book?"

"I didn't see it, but I know that it is kept in the top most room of the highest tower, but I learned something else yesterday." Raven leaned closer to them before whispering "When she goes to give Miss Lillabelth her family properties back, she needs the book in order to write them to her. I am thinking one of two things might happen. Either she will carry the book to the grand hall or the Queen will invite Lillabeth to the book room."

"Very good," Bellamy smiled and Raven smile back. "Miller do you have any news."

"I have made some progress on any back up plans with my contact in the City of Light. There may be a way to cross her over that is undetectable. Right now it is only working for travel on our side but he is making progress."

"How is that possible?" Raven asked sounding exited.

"I don't know myself he just told me that once the portal is used it will vanish like smoke on the water." Bellamy laughed about that.

"What's so funny?" Clarke asked quietly as Miller and Raven continued to talk.

"The contact he is talking about owns a smoke shop." Clarke nodded even though she wasn't really sure why he thought that was funny.

"So she will be able to get home by the solstice regardless of which plan proves most fruitful." Bellamy said. "That's good." Seeming to finally be satisfied with how the conversation had gone, he picked up his drink and quickly drank it down. The others began to drink there bervages, and Clarke relaxed some as she listened to the three talk.

"How are your attempts at revamping the music in the city?" Bellamy asked Miller.

"Not as well as I hoped. With the Queens banning contact with the other side, most people are reluctant to embrace something from there. Young crowds of people are starting to listening to it in underground establishments."

"So this is your club?" Clarke asked "I had been wondering how this place got here. Everything in it seem to be out of place from what I have seen in the city so far." Miller smiled.

"It is a joint venture between me and several other benefactors. I need the help of many business owners to pull it off. We have to move all of our establishments every few days so that we are not discovered. You just need to know where to look." Clarke was reminded of the chalk rabbit drawn on the crumbling wall.

"You can move buildings?" Clarke asked him

"She is not used to this side yet," Bellamy said somewhat apologetically. "She doesn't entirely grasp the idea of magic." Clarke glared at Bellamy thinking that his comment sounded rude and condescending.

"That is understandable," Miller chuckled.

"So where are the two of you going to stay while you are in the city?" Raven asked them

"There is an inn near the square that I usely go to while I am in the city. We will probably stay there." Raven shook her head.

"You are coming to stay in my home." She said the tone in her voice having finality to it. After a small amount of arguing Bellamy finally agreed. After another hour and a few more drinks they said goodbye to Miller. "Just go to my place, I still have some work to do hear." Raven explained leaving them to go back to the bar. Just as Bellamy and Clarke went looking for the door out, a familiar bobcat leapt threw the wall on their right, and shifted into Jasper.

"Bellamy you're in trouble." He said panting. "The Queen knows you're here." He said pointing at the ground. "You have to leave now." Bellamy nodded and grabbed Clarke's hand. Pulling her out the door they were back on the rooftop. "Don't go that way." Jasper told them as she stood at the edge of the roof. "They will be coming in from Main Street." Bellamy turned and ran to where Jasper was. As they got to him Jasper jumped off the roof. Standing at the edge Clarke craned her neck to see where He landed but could see nothing.

"What the hell!" Clarke cried in anger as Bellamy shoved her hard causing her to lose balance and fall. Fear griped her chest as she started her descent, but it wasn't very long before she landed in Jasper's waiting arms.

"They're coming, they are on the roof now." Bellamy said after jumping to them. He started to run up the abandoned street, with Jasper and Clarke running after him. Rushing down the street Clarke notice that they passed the alleyway that lead to the club. She glanced briefly as they ran by and saw several guards around, and what appeared to be a large dog.

"What's that dog they have with them?" Clarke asked.

"Reaper, beast made of magic and shadows. They are tracking Bellamy." Clarke looked up to where Bellamy was running just ahead of them. He did look somewhat unnerved by all of this, as he made a hard right down a new ally, and then a left up another street. They followed Bellamy for a long time through the twists and turns of the city. There was even one point while they were running that they ran across the underside of a bridge that connected two buildings. It wasn't until they jumped over a familiar looking rooftop that Clarke realized that Bellamy was leading them in circles all over the city. They approached a street that they had been down almost five times already and they were about to run down it again when Bellamy suddenly stopped. He flung his arm out in order to pin Jasper and her against the wall and shushed them by placing a finger to his lips. Clarke was about to ask what was happening when they heard a loud sniffing sound. Clarke watched two of the shadowy dogs come into view. Their huge bodies were smoky and see through their eyes glowing a bright green. Both of the animals had their noses to the ground, and were rapidly sucking in air trying to find there quarry. She almost let out a squeak of fear, as one of them stopped in the entrance of the alley they were hiding in. The beast lifted up its nose and sniffed. It growled as it gazed in to the dark that they were hiding in. Just as it was about to step towards them the other dog let out a low howl. The dog turned quickly, and bounded away leaving the guards to sprint after them.

"This is not good." Bellamy said worriedly. "They went through the fourth turn we made. They are gaining on us faster than I thought they would." He stood reaching out his hand and helped Clarke up.

"It's a good thing their made to follow trails. There so good at it, they can't go off them." Jasper said. He seemed to finally catch his breath and was ready to start again.

"Alright we need to get farther ahead of them. Any ideas Jasper, you're good at getting around." Jasper Grinned.

"I have a few ideas." When they were sure that the guards were gone Jasper ran out into the street and straight up the ally that the dogs had taken moments before. Instead of making a left turn like the guards did, he made a right and soon had them on a roof high above the city. Jasper stopped for a brief period and looked around. He smiled again as he spotted a clothes line that was tied to a pole. "Bellamy Walk along the edge of the roof a few times, while we slide down the line. We are heading for the third roof down," He said pointing to another roof top not too far away. "When we are down there come after us." Jasper turned to Clarke. "I'm going first watch what I do." He took off his coat, after wrapping it around one hand, he tossed the rest over the clothes line and then wraped his other hand in the rawhide material. Jasper stepped up to the very edge of the roof, and using the rope like a zip line, pushed off the edge and slid down the rope until he reached the rooftop. Clarke watched Jasper land and watched for him to signal her to follow.

"What do I do?" She said turning to Bellamy who was carefully passing along the very edge of the roof. He looked up at the sound of her voice." I don't have anything to slide down with." Bellamy stopped briefly, and pointed to the rope. When Clarke looked up at it she saw that Jasper's coat had managed to find its way back up the rope and was waiting for her.

Following Jasper's lead, Clarke wrapped both of her hands in the raw hide and pushed herself off the roof. She winced as she did so half expecting the line to break under her weight. The night wind rushed by her and before she knew it Jasper reached an arm out to help stop her.

"Let's go Bellamy!" He bellowed. His loud voice seemed to carry far in the night air. Bellamy stopped his pacing and stepped over to the rope. He waited a short time for Jasper's coat to re-metalize at the top of the line and within moments he was beside them. From this vantage point Clarke saw that there were several other clothes lines that connected to other roof tops. Jasper directed Bellamy to walk and or rub his hand along each of the lines, while he and Clarke once again went down ahead of them.

They continued to follow this pattern several times, causing Bellamy to leave his sent all over the rooftops in hopes of confusing the shadow hounds. Clarke was still having trouble with the Op art qualities of the city. They found them selfless higher up in the city after sliding down a rope a few times. Eventually they had finely reached a roof that had no other lines for them to use. The three of them carefully made their way to the streets below.

"That will keep them busy until day break." Jasper grinned. Bellamy smiled back at him, taking some time to sit on the ground with his back resting on a nearby wall.

"What happens then?" Clarke asked sitting tiredly on the ground between both of them.

"They unravel. The light of day undoes the magic holding a reaper together." Jasper told her. "That is why Bellamy's house is so safe." The three of them relaxed for a while resting against the wall. Clarke was relived to stop for a while. She was feeling drained now that the adrenalin that had been coursing through her started to ebb away.

"We should go to Raven's house soon." Bellamy sighed. His eyes were closed and his head was tilted back against the stone. "She is probably done with her shift now, and is at home wondering why we are not there." After a few more seconds He stood up and Clarke and Jasper followed suit. They started to walk down the street at slowest pace they had used all day, when they heard the bone chilling howls coming from the roof tops. All three of them shuddered at the sound.

"They're still pretty far off." Jasper said with a reassuring smile. The smile was wiped off his face when they heard two more howls from positions much closer.

"Let's go!" Clarke said. They broke into a run when they heard another howl that sounded like it came from the roof they had just left.

"Keep going." Jasper panted. "This road leads to the river." The Hounds grew closer and Clarke nearly cried in relief when she saw a bridge.

"Can you swim?" Bellamy choked his chest having as they ran on to the bridge.

"Yes," She watched as both Bellamy and Jasper threw themselves over the railing and into the water. Without another thought Clarke threw herself over too.

The water that they had fallen into was much colder than Clarke had anticipated it to be. The horrible chill and having had water rush up her nose caused Clarke to panic and thrash in the water once she had broken the surface.

"Calm down Princes," Bellamy urged as he put a comforting arm around her. "It's ok. It ok." He turned her to him holding her face in his hands as he tread water. "We have to swim under the bridge." She nodded and he let go. Taking a deep breath she started to swim under the bridge, to the nearest river bank that was underneath it.

Just as they were near enough to the shore that they could touch the bottom, they could hear the heavy pounding of footsteps and the strangely loud sniffing coming from several shadow hounds.

"The trail ends here," She heard someone say as the reapers sniffed up and down the bridge.

"No it hasn't, give it a minute for the dogs to pick up the trail up again. You though it ended several times tonight, and we are still hunting him."

"We're splitting up." Bellamy whispered to them as they quietly waded on to the muddy bank.

"No!" Clarke said. "We are not separating." Bellamy looked at her crossly.

"They are looking for me." He told her. "You two will be fine if I am not with you." Clarke felt her stomach drop at the thought of him leaving. Since she had arrived in this strange place, he had become the most reliable thing there. "I will meet you guys back at Raven's." He said seeing the worry on her face. "We have another two hours until daybreak; I just have to out run them until then. You're seeing the Queen tomorrow you need to rest up."

"I need you to get home what if something happens?" Clarke said, Bellamy smiled at her.

"You don't need me. It's like I said earlier, there are plenty of ways for you to get home and I promise you that I will be back." He took a few steps backwards into the water. "I'm going down stream. Jasper you take care of Clarke. Bring her to Raven's, I'll see you both tomorrow." He said wading deeper into the water. When it reached his waist Bellamy waved them off and dove in. Clarke wanted to watch him longer. She wanted to go with him and make sure that everything would be ok, but he was trying to keep her safe. At least long enough so she would have the opportunity to get back home. With a heavy sigh she turned and to follow Jasper, who was quietly creeping up to the edge of the bridge.

**AN**

**I want to clear up a few of the things that were said during the conversation With Miller.**

**1 Ziggy Stardust and the spiders from Mars is the name of an Alien themed band that David Bowie was in. It is a coded way of explaining that Clarke is not from there world.**

**2 "Is this the real world or is this just fantasy" are the opening lines to the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody if you haven't listened to the song you should.**

**3 Smoke on the Water is a song by Deep Purple.**

**The Character names are not mine. Please review or ask me any questions**


	7. The Red Queen

**Only the plot is mine.**

Chapter 7

"They're still pretty close to the other side." He told her as he took a quick peek over the edge. " Let's go before they see us and suspect something." Clarke nodded and followed Jasper. They both winced when they heard the eerie howls of the Reepers. The walk to Raven's house was not very far from the bridge. She surprisingly lived in some of the upper parts of the city, but due to some of the more interesting traits of the city, they only had to walk a few blocks before they had arrived. Jasper's fist was poised to knock on the door when it cracked open revealing an angry looking Raven.

"You're late." She said as her eyes searched the street. Her expression quickly changed however when she saw that it was not Bellamy at the Door. "Your both soaking wet get in here before you catch cold."

"Thank you." Clarke and Jasper murmured at the same time. They entered Raven's house and she ushered them into different rooms. First bringing Jasper into the kitchen, and then escorting Clarke to the bathroom, where she was instructed to remove her clothes and dry off. Clarke did as she was told and began to towel dry her hair when Raven came back in. She quickly handed Clarke a white bathrobe that had small black and red rabbit shapes on it.

"Come to the kitchen when you are done." Raven told her and then shut the door. Clarke, hung her wet dress which had now changed back to her original clothes, over the edge of the bath tub. She wrapped herself in the soft fluffy bathrobe headed to the kitchen.

"So you have been running all this time? But it has been a few hours." Raven was saying when she entered the kitchen.

"Yes we have." Jasper said, taking a sip of something steaming from a cup. Clarke sat down quietly and listened. "The Queens must have improved the Reepers somehow. We tried everything and they still caught up to us."

"I have heard that she was increasing their numbers." Raven told him. "She is really paranoid about this other sider. She has patrols with Reepers roaming the streets every night." A scowl then over took her face "I want to know who betrayed Bellamy." Raven then turned to Clarke." Who did you two talk to today?" Clarke was surprised by the sudden question, but after thinking she said.

"There were not that many, however the Duchess came and talked for a while. She had a lot of people with her."

"That worm!" She exclaimed "I'll feed her to a pack of Hobnokels!" She fumed as she started to pace the kitchen.

"You don't know that it was the Duchess." Jasper said trying to reason with her.

"It wasn't the Duchess." Raven said. "It was one of her companions. Thalia." Jasper nodded his head in understanding. "Ohh if she gave my position away to the Queen I will kill her! I will put poison in her tea." Raven growled. Despite how serious the situation was, Clarke tried not to smile. Ravens rants were starting to remind her of how an angry child might act.

"Now don't be so hasty," Jasper told her with a smile. "We don't know why she said anything, she could have been compelled to do so by the Queen."

"Or the greedy Jezebel wanted to collect the reward that has been on Bellamy's head for the last 4 years."

"If it were about money she would have turned me in too." Jasper reasoned.

"I don't think so. Bellamy's reward is much bigger than yours and besides, you can hide better. Not to mention when you change shape the Reepers can't find you."

"Why is Bellamy so much more important? Clarke asked.

"Because he is the master mind behind trying to get the Queens out of power." Raven told her. "Enough talk about this. Lillabeth you should be going to sleep, you need to be on your top game for when you are with the Queen tomorrow. If she suspects something strange about you she will not hesitate to have you imprisoned, or bound to her and compelled to tell the truth." Clarke shook her head.

"I want to wait for Bellamy to come back. It's been a while since we left him, he could be heading hear soon."

"It doesn't matter." Jasper told her. "You look like your about to fall off your chair." Clarke shook her head stubbornly. "Fine Raven, would you fix her some coffee so she can stay awake?" Jasper asked. Clarke missed the wink he shot Ravens' way.

"Yes, I'll make her tea, since I already have the water ready. How do you take your tea Lillabeth?"

"A little milk no sugar." She said. Raven nodded and went to the counter to prepare Clarke's cup.

"Jasper, you and Lillabeth should go into the front room, that way you will know as soon as Bellamy comes back." Jasper nodded and got up from the table. Clarke followed him and they both went in to the pink and green sitting room. Clarke sat in on one of the sofas while Jasper took a seat in one of the large arm chairs.

"What will happen if he is caught?" Clarke asked Jasper quietly, as she watched the pendulum of the grandfather clock that stood the against the stair case.

"The Queen will probably take his hat and banish him."

"Banishment, does that mean out of this kingdom, or to my world? And why would she take his hat?"

"Bellamy would be banished to your world. She would take the hat first because he can barely do any magic without it. I will let Bellamy tell you the whole story, but the short end of it is that, he made a trade of sorts. In order to gain a few special abilities, Bellamy agreed to put some specific limitations on his magic use."

"Those limits would still apply in my world?" Jasper raised an eye brow as he thought about her question.

"Maybe not, but I don't know. Those limits are relatively new. Perhaps the Queen doesn't know about them or the hat." Just as Jasper finished talking Raven came in with a cup of tea for Clarke.

"Hear you are Lillabeth." she said carefully handing Clarke the cup before she sat down.

"Thank you Raven." Clarke smiled. "What is the plan for tomorrow?" She asked after she had taken a few sips of her tea.

"Well, I will be taking you out to prepare. You won't be due at the Palace until the early afternoon. We need to make sure you have something appropriate to where."

"I already have something that I can were." Clarke said, the warm tea was quickly making her drowsy.

"Is it purple? It had better be purple that is the Queen's favorite."

"Shouldn't it be red?" Clarke asked as she stretched, trying not to give into the sudden sleepiness that was overpowering her will to stay awake.

"Perhaps we should leave now." Jasper said.

"Son of a bitch. You put something in my drink!" Clarke growled, Jasper just nodded.

"You have been up too long. You really do need to sleep before you meet the Queen." Jasper picked up a quilt that was lying draped over the sofa, and gently tucked it around her. "I'm sorry we did it, but you will be better off sleeping than worrying and waiting for Bellamy to get back."

"I hate you right now." She murmured still fighting hard to stay wake. Jasper took the cup of drugged tea out of her hand before she spilt it on the furniture and rug.

"But I'm not real, so that is not a very big deal." He teased.

Clarke woke up. And for a short moment she thought that she was home. Snuggling deeper under her blanket Clarke did not want to open her eyes yet. She must have had more to drink at Octavia's party then she thought. All that she could remember after going to look for the bathroom, was the very long and bizarre dream she had. Clarke finely opened her eyes and for a while she just stared at the ceiling. At first her eyes did not register the change in color patterns around the room.

"Damn." She mumbled to herself as she rolled over onto her side. She was not sleeping at her friend's house, she was still in Ravens' sitting room. She drifted in and out of sleep for a few hours, whatever Jasper had Raven put into her tea, was still having its effect. "I'm never taking anything from either of them again." She mumbled into the sleeve of the bathrobe.

"It was for your own good you know." She heard Jasper say from the floor. She looked down to see the large Bobcat stretched out on the floor beside the sofa. Lazily Clarke reached down and started to scratch his head. "Don't do that." He said just about purring.

"Why, you seem to be enjoying it." She smiled

"It's demeaning. I'm not really a cat you know." Clarke ignored him, and continued to scratch the top of his head.

"Did Bellamy come back?" She asked. Jasper looked up at her the constant smile gone from his face.

"No, but that doesn't mean you need to worry." He got up and started to stretch his forepaws." The Queen would have made a huge announcement if he had been caught and an even bigger spectacle when she banishes him." Clarke sat up and stretched her back and shoulders. Rising to her feet she started to walk to the kitchen. "I wonder where she keeps all of the food?" Jasper said to himself as he followed her, once inside the Kitchen he stuck his nose in the air and sniffed around.

"No you are not cooking. I meant what I said you are never touching anything I drink or eat ever again." The cat chuckled as he turned into human form.

"But you don't know where anything is."

"You can hand me things, you are not cooking." Clarke said with finality. Jasper gave in and started pulling things out from the cabinets and pantry. Soon the kitchen was filled with the smells of eggs, potatoes, and fried breakfast meats.

"Why is she cooking?" Raven asked Jasper when she walked into the room.

"She doesn't trust us to serve her food anymore." He said trying to look serious before he started snickering. Clarke came to them with three plates full of food. All three began to eat in silence enjoying the food until the grandfather clock in the sitting room began to chime.

" Eleven-o-clock." Raven said aghast. She started to scarf the food on her plate down, trying to finish it as fast as possible. Standing up, Raven took hold of Clarke and pulled her away from the table before she could finish her own plate. "Hurry we need to make you look presentable." Taking Clarke up stares to her bedroom, Raven sat Clarke down in front of a large vanity mirror.

"Shouldn't I get dressed?" Clarke asked. Raven shook her head in response and pulled out a few brushes from one of the vanity drawers. Raven started to brush out all of the tangles and knots from sleeping and the previous nights run through the city. Then Clarke's hair was braided and pinned up.

"We can't have you looking nicer than the Queen." Instead answering Clarke watched as Raven walked over to the closet and pulled out her dress and what she assumed was a maid's uniform. "Here get dressed." She demanded thrusting the dress into Clarke's hands. Clarke waited for Raven to leave the room, but it was soon made clear that she had no intention of doing so. Instead Raven walked over to a changing screen and started to put her own clothes on.

"OK." Raven said as she stepped out from behind her changing screen. "We don't have time for you to fiddle around with the cameo so hear." Raven grabbed hold of the cameo still around Clarke's neck, and soon Clarke found herself clothed in a lavender colored dress with a corset that cinched her waste into an hourglass, and large billowing skirts. Clarke took a moment to adjust to the restricted amount of breathing space. "We're going to be late." Raven said pushing Clarke out of her room and almost down the stairs.

"Give me a second." Clarke grumbled. "I need to get used to this thing."

"No time, just keep breathing." Raven argued.

"I have to agree with Raven on this one." Jasper replied. "We do not have time for delays. You need to be at the palace in fifteen minutes."

"But we need to get the tarts." Clarke said her eyes growing wide. "We need to get the tarts. The duchess said I should bring a gift and that it should be the tarts!"

"We already have them. I had the baker's boy deliver some here this morning." Raven told Clarke as she ducked into the kitchen and pulled a box out from the top of the icebox. "Let's go!" Clarke ran out Ravens front door and into the street that was far livelier by day then she suspected it could be when she had passed through it in the dead of night.

"Which way do we go?" She asked Raven. She could no longer see Jasper which meant he was either invisible or still in the house.

"Right to Forbes Lain." She said. Clarke followed Raven's instructions the entire way until they were nearly at the palace. "I have to go ahead. I can't be seen entering the castle with you. All you have to do is follow this road until you come to a fork. Then go to the right. Pay very close attention or you will miss it. You are going to take that pass until you reach the castle gates. Don't worry too much Jasper will be nearby." Clarke nodded and waited for Raven to be out of sight before she went on her way. Clarke followed the road and carefully looked for the fork as she hurriedly walked down the street.

"You missed it." She tried hard not to jump when she heard Jasper's voice hiss in her ear.

"How could I have missed it?" She asked incredulously. "I think I would have seen the road split into two ways."

"Not looking for that kind of fork." A shadowy silhouette of Jasper shimmered into sight briefly and Clarke could see him pointing to something. She looked, and there she saw a fork. A three pronged salad fork.

"Are you kidding me?" She said as she walked back down the road and adjusted her position so that she was standing before the fork, like she had stopped instead of walking right by it.

"No." Jasper hissed. "Now walk around the right side of it." With a shrug Clarke walked around the right side of the fork, thinking it was absolutely ludicrous. She was only just beginning to get used to the strange ways you could get from point A to point B within this city. On the right side of the fork, Clarke found herself in a well-manicured tunnel of arching arbores. There were flowers and vines growing all over the wooden structures, to the point that the growth was to close together. She was not sure if there was a wooden frame, or if they simply supported each other. Looking over her shoulder she could see that the street she had just left was still there. "Do people walk into here all the time."

"No it's a short cut Bellamy made a long time ago. It is charmed so that people always walk to the left of it, and you can only walk through the passage if you expect to see the fork there." Clarke shrugged not wanting to question it and instead, started her way up the path as fast as she could go. As she dashed along she could slowly see the castle coming into view. The numbers of turrets that stuck into the air seemed too vast to count.

#

"Incredible…" she finally murmured as she came to the end of the green arches and ran straight in to a wide open stone walk way. Like most of the city the stone road leading up to the castle was in the colors white, red, and green. Everything here seemed much more surreal, than anything that she had seen so far. Everything was so pristine and grand looking, with its quality of craftsmanship and decoration. She would have sworn she was in some kind of fairytale, but then again both Bellamy and Jasper had been trying very hard to convince her that anything in this world was possible.

"Slow down." She heard Jasper whisper beside her. "Ladies who go to court do not run." Immediately Clarke slowed her pace to a moderate walk, just enough so she could still make good time to the castle and not look like she had over exerted herself to get there.

Finally without a moment to spare Clarke made it to the front gates of the castle.

"Halt!" said a palace guard. He was a tall young man with blue eyes, he wore a white and red uniform. "Who are you and what business do you have here?" He asked, his voice sounding lazy. Clarke dropped into a curtsy as she addressed the man.

"My name is Lillabeth Topelpot." She felt Jasper slip something into her hand. Pretending to pull it out of a pocket she showed it to the guard. "I have been invited to the castle by the Queen herself." The guard took the invitation and examined it carefully. When he was finished he gave her a brief nod and allowed her inside.

"Miles!" He called when the gate was opened. A skinny young man in uniform who looked even younger than Jasper, ran up to them both and saluted the older guard.

"What can I do Murphy Sir?" He asked.

"Escort this Lady to the gardens, the Queen is expecting her."

"Yes sir." The young man said saluting once more and then turned to go back into the castle. He looked to Clarke and motioned for her to follow him. Clarke Hurried after the young man who was already walking down the Hall at a brisk pace. The halls of the castle were decorated just as lavishly as the outside. However the instead color scheme was different, and lush fabrics in verities of purple decorated the walls. They took a left down the hall into a wing of the castle that was decorated in more blues and reds. The hall was long but when they finally reached the end of it they approached a doorway that led to a garden.

"Your Majesty Queen Anya," The young boy announced. "I present your guest the Lady Lillabeth Topplepot." He bowed low and shuffled out of the way, and Clarke was stunned when everyone in the garden turned and looked her way. There was a small party of people assembled. She quickly recognized the Duchess from the day before wearing a dress in a pail blue. Then there was Sir Finn who was not far away, talking to a darker skinned women dressed in a pink dress. The Queen stood in the center of the group and was easily the prettiest woman there. Everything about her seemed designed to keep everyone's attention on her. From her red and black dress, to her shining auburn hair.

"Clarke!" Jasper hissed "Do something." Clarke blushed and dropped into a low curtsy.

"Ahh! Lady Topplepot. It is so lovely to meet you. We were all so happy to hear about you, when dear Sir Finn came across you in the forest." She said her voice plesent.

"I am glad to hear that the news brought you joy." Clarke replied trying very hard to sound genuine. It was hard to sound overjoyed by being in the company of a woman who might decide on a whim to kill you. The Queen smiled brightly at Clarke's response.

"Oh yes it did, I am always pleased to interact with my subjects." The Queen made a few additional comments to which Clarke replied in kind. "Come now everyone it is time for tea." She addressed everyone, as she turned and led them to a gazebo in the middle of the garden. Underneath was a table set with the finest china Clarke had ever seen. Once the Queen settled herself at the head of the table everyone else sat down as well. Clarke was dismayed to find herself seated directly to the right of the Queen. Conversation soon started and she nervously sat with her hands in her lap not knowing what to say.

"I believe that we need stricter laws." Said the women in the pink dress when the topic of the other sider came up in the conversation." After all, it was the ones living on the other side who made the veil they should stay over there. Majesty could you make a decree that results in instant death for those who try to cross."

"I have tried." The Queen answered." Regrettably the old laws forbid such a thing, and their authority is the only one greater than mine."

"How unfortunate." Said the Duchess as she sipped her tea. Clarke detected the faint hint of insincerity in her voice.

"Indeed." the Queen sighed. "Ms. Lillabeth, I have just noticed that you did not bring your grandfather with you." Clarke choked for a moment, after inhaling the powdered sugar that was on the cookie she was biting into.

"I am sorry," She said as she wiped her eyes with a napkin. "My grandfather sends his regards. We were not sure if he was included in the invitation. He told me that he would not want to impose upon your hospitality if it turned out he was not invited. He started home early this morning after securing me a room at an inn for the next few days."

"How thoughtful of him to take that into consideration. Perhaps he will be more inclined next time." The Queen said smiling. Clarke didn't like how it seemed to make her look hungry.

"I am pleased to know that you are already thinking about extending me a second invitation to your court."

"But of course my dear, why on earth shouldn't I. You appear to be a perfectly respectable young thing, given your less than ideal up bringing in the forests of Ton DC. Sometime in the city would most certainly amend that."

"Quite right my Queen." Sr. Finn said. "Under your guidance miss Lillabeth will be a proper lady of the court." Everyone at the table murmured there agreement and the Queen seemed to preen at their words.

"Well, if you all agree," she replied.

"Dear girl forget your plans to stay elsewhere. You shall be staying in one of the guests rooms here at the palace." She clapped her hands and two servants, one Clarke was glad to see was Raven, appeared beside her. "Ready the rooms for Lady Topelpot on the guest floor."

"Yes your majesty." They said curtsying and backing up to go to the castle.

"Thank her." Jasper hissed in her ear almost making her jump. She had not heard a word from him in a while and had almost forgotten his presence.

"Thank you ever so much your Majesty," she said clearing her throat. "Never in my life did I think I would be staying hear."

"Oh she is so adorable." the Queen said to the rest of the table. "Why wouldn't I let you stay here while we all get to know you." Clarke smiled and was all too glad when the duchess redirected the conversation to the topic of the midsummer festival that was soon approaching. It wasn't until the sun had sunk beneath the castle walls that tea had finally come to an end. The duchess was the first to leave, and the unpleasant women in pink soon followed after her. Sir Finn lingered behind as the rest of the guests. When it was agreed that no one would be reacquiring an evening meal, he asked if he could escort Clarke to her room.

"I am so pleased that you will be staying with us in the castle," He was telling her as they walked inside. Sir Finn looked over at her and smiled. "I have my own rooms on the guest floor for when I am called to court."

"Really? Do you think that I will be staying next to you?" She asked trying to sound hopeful, however Clarke's only interest was getting to a private room and removing her corset.

"Actually," Sir Philip started. "I do not know." Clarke nodded her response and continued to follow Sir Finn as he started up a flight of stairs. "Did you enjoy yourself today." he asked her.

"Yes!" Clarke said though she felt she might have said it a little too quickly." Tea was so nice, and the garden was lovely. Though I was not able to contribute very much to the conversation." She frowned a little when she finished speaking. Sir Finn gave her an apologetic look.

"Don't be worried, we were aware that you had not been to our city before. No one is displeased with you for not being able to comment. Tomorrow should be better. The Queen told me this morning that a special guest will be with us in the morning and we will also be playing games." He said with confidence.

"That does sound better," She sighed in relief as they turned the corner and arrived at the guest rooms. It did not take very long to discover which rooms were Clarke's, for Raven was standing outside one of the doors.

"I suppose this is your room." He said smiling. He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. "I will see you tomorrow. Please come to me if you need anything." He nodded his head to Raven and then turned walking a few doors down to where his rooms were located.

"Humm! He is a good looking one." Raven said with a purr in her voice. "Come on Lady Topelpot, let's go inside." Raven stepped aside so that she could hold the door open. The suite that they walked into had a small reception space furnished with a cushy looking set of chairs. To The right there appeared to be another room, which Clarke assumed was the bathroom. They walked over to the left which opened up into a large room with a wardrobe desk, and a large bed. To both Clarke and Raven's surprise they found Jasper there, lounging in his cat form on the bed.

"So how did your day go Raven?" The cat asked as he stretched so that the spaces between his toes were visible. The three of them spent the rest of the evening discussing the day's events. Jasper and Clarke told Raven about anything she had missed during tea, while she told them about the gossip that was going around the castle.

"So no mention of prisoners being brought in?" Clarke asked.

"No." Raven said. "I haven't heard a thing about Bellamy." They looked at each other wondering where there missing friend could be.

**Sorry not a lot of Bellamy in this chapter but don't worry, all you Belarke fans will like the next chapter. Speaking of Bellamy, I need help making up a few middle names for him, any ideas? **

**Give me some feedback tell me what you liked and didn't like I can't make the story better otherwise. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed.**


	8. A Happy Accident

**Only the plot is mine.**

Chapter 8

Later that night Clarke lay awake. Despite how soft and comfortable her bed was, she found that she was far too nervous to sleep. For a little while she watched Jasper sleeping at the edge of her bed. Only to feel restless and began pacing the room. When this did not work, she left hoping a walk would help.

If Clarke thought that the castle was intimidating during the day, then it was frightening at night. The beautiful halls seemed to be cold and dark even with the luminescent crystals lighting the halls.

She began to walk down the corridor, taking great care to remember exactly where she was going. After circling her floor a few times and stopping to gaze out a few of the windows. She decided that she might benefit from exploring further. Pausing at the first staircase that she could find Clarke listened for any voices before she started the long walk down. The first staircase only allowed her to travel down two floors before it stopped. In front of her stretched another long corridor that turned to the right. Clarke started to explore this level of the castle, but froze suddenly when she heard voices coming from around the corner.

"…won't be happy." she could hear a man say when she could finally make out what was being said. They were still very muffled.

"She will think of something else. She seems to find long term punishment more satisfying anyhow." When the second voice started speaking Clarke realized that they were coming towards her. Swearing under her breath she spun around looking for the closest place to hide. Seeing nothing but the staircase she walked back to it.

"What are you doing here at this time of night?" Asked the first guard as the two men rounded the corner. Clarke had just reached the stairs and now she froze for a few moments before she turned around to face them.

"I'm sorry" Clarke told them. "Am I not allowed to be here?" Deciding that the truth would be her best option she continued. "I couldn't fall asleep and thought taking a walk would help."

"You were walking around this far down?" The second guard asked.

"I tried walking my own floor a few times first, it is two flights up from here. When that did not work I thought that I might go a little further." The guard stared at her for a few seconds before talking again.

"Very well, but don't stay down here too much longer, the guards will be changing soon and after midnight none but the night-watch is allowed down here." Clarke smiled brightly at them before stepping back into a curtsy.

"Thank you gentlemen. I will be careful to remember that curfew." The guards smiled back at her. The three of them stood quietly until Clarke asked, "Are there any windows on this floor? Looking out at the city is so nice this time of night."

"No." The first guard told her. "But there are a few paintings hanging down the hall that you might enjoy." The guard pointed in the direction they had come from. Clarke thanked them both, and walked down the hall. The two guards were up the stairs before she had even rounded the corner. There were more paintings on the walls than Clarke expected to see. Most of them were of people, royalty she guessed, for many of the subjects wore some sort of head piece. Clarke stopped at the painting of a family of six. A small plaque explained that it was the royal family.

Queen Arora stood proudly next to her husband. In her arms she held an infant and before them were three children. There were two brown haired girls who looked about the same age. The taller one she assumed was Anya. Between the two girls was a little boy with dark curls and eyes. As Clarke continued to observe the details of the painting she noticed a slight draft around her ankles. Trying to discover it's source Clarke took a few steps back. The painting that she was in front of was large, but there was nothing nearby that could create the breeze that she felt.

Looking around the hall she noticed that almost all of the wall hangings reached the floor. She had not recalled any of the other tapestries throughout the castle being as long. Clarke tried again to feel the airflow and approached the tapestry behind her. Grabbing the edge of the fabric she quickly pulled it aside only to find stone wall behind it. "Come on Clarke." She scolded herself after looking behind a few more hangings. Tapping her foot impatiently she tried to think which tapestry could be the correct one. She walked back down the hall and noticed how loudly her footsteps echoed. She remembered how the sound of the guard's voices sounded muffled and seemed to appear suddenly.

A pang of excitement hit her as she hurried to one of the tapestries near the corner of the hall. While observing it carefully, she began to notice the way the bottom swayed ever so slightly. Taking a deep breath Clarke gripped the tapestry and pulled it aside. This time she was greeted by a passage. Its entrance was smaller than the tapestry so that it could be easily hidden. The excitement that Clarke felt was soon accompanied by several other emotions. Part of her, she was surprised to find was dangerously interested in finding out where the passage went, while the other half was desperate to leave this discovery and go back to her room.

Clarke stood biting her thumb as she tried to make a decision. Knowing that she would never be able to sleep if she left now, Clarke stepped into the passage. She was vaguely disappointed to see that the inside of the passage was as brightly lit as the rest of the halls in the castle. Somehow she thought that it might be dark, dank and full of cobwebs like the way they were shown in the movies. When she entered the passage, she found herself standing on a small platform. To her right there was a staircase that spiraled downward and to her left it spiraled up. She chose to go to her right, and began the descent. It was not an incredibly long time before she reached the bottom. There were a few locked doors that she found on her way down, but at the bottom there was another passage. There was a metal gate barring the entrance but she found that the clasp keeping it shut was incredibly easy to open.

"This is too simple." she said to herself cautiously. She peered through the gate into the dark corridor that lay beyond. Unlatching the clasp she opened the gate. The screech of metal grinding agents metal as she swung the gate open made her cringe.

Clarke stopped and listened carefully for any other sounds praying no guard was close enough to hear. She slipped into the corridor while opening the gate as little as possible. "Now this is how a passage should look" She commented. It was dark, chilly and her light footsteps echoed loudly off the walls and gated cells that sat on either side of her. As Clarke's eyes adjusted to the dim light, she realized that the cells were empty. She was considering leaving this abandoned prison when she heard a quiet voice from behind.

"What on earth are you doing here?" It groaned. The voice was coming from one of the cells she had just passed and mistook for being empty. After staring into the shadows she finally was able to see a familiar face looking up at her.

"Bellamy… are you alright?" She came up to the cell he was locked in. Bellamy was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall of the cell and the bars. His clothes appeared torn in several places and she could see a few cuts and bruises on his neck and face. As she spoke she reached through the bars and move some of his hair aside so that she could get a better look at a cut on his forehead. She was surprised by how cold he felt.

"It will heal." He said shrugging. It was then that Clarke noticed that his hands had been secured behind his back. "So, what are you doing down here?" He asked again sounding annoyed. Clarke could feel her cheeks heat up quickly she pulled her hand away from his face and she said.

"I couldn't sleep so I took a walk around the castle."

"You weren't looking for me?" He asked raising an eyebrow his eyes looked black in the dim light.

"Well, I was concerned about you not showing up this morning. Finding you was a happy accident." Bellamy snorted but his face turned a little more serious.

"Would you be willing to do me a favor?"

"Depends on what it is." She said already knowing she would do whatever he asked.

"Could you itch my nose for me?" Clarke laughed at the request but then complied. "Thank you," he said sounding relieved. "Have you ever notice how bad an itch can be when you can't scratch it. This thing with my nose for example, I'm good for now, but as soon as you go it will be driving me crazy again." Bellamy smirked at her.

"I'm sorry you got stuck in here Bellamy." Clarke said with a frown.

"piff, sorry! What do you have to be sorry for?" He said tilting his head to the side. Clarke could tell that he would have waved his hand if he could.

"You wouldn't have needed to come to the city if I weren't around." Bellamy shrugged

"I have been in trouble with the crown for years. These bonds are my own doing. The last time I was down here I escaped and the Queens still don't know how I managed it."

"You were caught before?"

"Yeah! I opened a gate to your side and sent my little sister there."

"Why would you send her away?" Clarke asked in surprise partly because she had no idea he had any family.

"There was a lot going on and I wanted to keep her safe." He explained. "Any way, the Queens couldn't prove I did anything, so I was locked up down here instead of executed. It would be easier to find a way to get out if my hands weren't tied." He sighed and leaned his head against the stone wall. Clarke moved to a more relaxed position on the floor sitting as close to Bellamy as she could.

"I have been wanting to ask you something." She said after a few moments of quiet.

"Yeah?" He said a surprised inflection in his voice.

"Why are you helping me?" Now he looked genuinely surprised.

"Dose there have to be a reason for it? Can't I just do it from the goodness of my heart or for philanthropic reasons?"

"I wouldn't believe you if that were your real answer." She said which made him chuckle. " I am a little too much trouble for you to do this on a charitable whim."

"Ahh, then you really don't know me as well as you think. I have done far more illegal things for less." Clarke smiled.

"Admitting that you have done more for less, implies that I am of great value, so it can be assumed that you are doing this for one reason or another." Bellamy made a snorting sound trying to ignore the question, however Clarke stared at him until with a sigh he answered.

"It's to repay a debt I owe."

"You owe someone that much."

"Well," he said shrugging. "Sort of. In my younger days, when I went to your side for the first time, I got stuck there. A war of some sort was going on, I don't remember which one but it was long before you would have been born I think. I was almost enlisted, and I probably would have been killed but a woman I came across helped me hide until I was able to figure out a way back. So now I help your people when I can. It would be hypocritical of me if I didn't. Besides, I don't care for either of the Queens too much right now so anything that is a bother to them is good with me." he smirked as he finished talking.

"So this is your way of saying to hell with authority?"

"A little bit. Though I have been regretting it lately." He said giving her a crooked smile

"Why?"

"Because you! My strange companion, are turning out to be a bit of trouble. You are the first person I've helped who has gotten themselves invited to the castle, and I have never had to work so hard to convince a person of my existence." Clarke didn't reply for a while.

"We will, get you out of here." She said putting her hand on his shoulder. Bellamy looked stunned and it took him a short time to formulate a reply.

"Don't put yourselves in jeopardy. I can promise you that the Queen is not going to try and kill me." He said his face full of concern.

"And exactly how do you know that?"

"Because I serve her better alive." He said with conviction.

"What if you are banished?" She asked worried about what could happen.

"I am not afraid of banishment. My sister is there and I think sometimes that I actually like your side better. Things are starting to get stagnant here. Things on this side don't change as easily as they do on yours, and with the ban it's… starting to get dull." He told her sounding like he was listing reasons of why he might want to move into a new home.

"How could things here possibly get dull?"

"It is strange, but it's almost like you people without magic are able to change more. We get rooted in our traditions and the old laws, it makes new things much harder to develop."

"The old laws?"

"They are rules of magic, I think there are only about three of them, but they give magic casting its basic definition. That is about it, the rest is really pomp and frills that have been added over the millennial."

"Is that where the thing with the names comes from?"

"Yes a name is required for anything involving a specific target." Clarke suddenly felt very concerned for Bellamy.

"Will she be able to use yours?"

"I don't think she has it all. My parents were particularly elaborate with me." Bellamy arched his back, and sighed when it cracked. "I think it might be time for you to go," He pressed his head to the bars of the cell to look down the hall. Clarke turned so that she could see what he was looking at but found that nothing had changed. "It's late. You will be locked up with me if they find you up there now."

"Yes... the guards said something about that." Reluctantly Clarke stood up. "I'll come visit tomorrow." She said looking down at him, but he shook his head.

"Don't come back here, you are so lucky that you weren't caught this time. Don't risk it again." He looked up at her his expression stern seeing that she was going to try and argue again he added. "I am more than capable of getting myself out. It is a matter of waiting for the right moment."

"Fine!" Clarke huffed a little annoyed as she turned and started to walk back up the hall.

"And I don't want to see you down here again, unless we are on the same side of these bars!" He called after her. Clarke paused and looked back, she could just barely see him his face pressed against the bars again so he could see her.

"Yes your Majesty," She said with a bow the sarcasm thick in her voice. She ran back through the secret passage and made it safely back to her room. Jasper was still fast asleep when she walked into the bedroom. She looked around thinking about what to do now. She desperately wanted to talk to the large cat about what she had found. After mulling it over she thought better of it and settled down for what little sleep she could still get that night.

**Ah! One of my favorite chapters, I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. Beside Bellamy and Clarke there is a good amount of foreshadowing That I had a lot of fun working into the chapter. If you have any guesses on what you think will happen next send me a message or review. I will be more than happy to let you know how close you are.**

**I still need help coming up with a few elaborate middle names for Bellamy. I have gotten some good ones but keep them coming I need at least 4? **

**Give me some feedback tell me what you liked and didn't like I can't make the story better otherwise. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I really does make me smile to read your comments**


	9. Hedgehogs and Other Surprises

**I only own the plot**

Chapter 8

"Clarke." Jasper said the next day. He was standing by the bed trying to shake her awake.

"What?" She moaned her eyes burning with exhaustion.

"We have to be down stairs soon. You have brunch with the Queen and her other guests." Clarke groaned, and rolled out of her bed.

"We need to talk." Clarke said while getting ready.

"What about?" Jasper asked. "You still have all your stories straight don't you?"

"Yes but.. Last night I went for a walk and I found Bellamy."

"What! Where?"

"He was locked up in the dungeons! What do you think we should do?" Jasper wiggled his fingers as he looked around the room.

"I don't know but we have to get to brunch. We will talk about this later." As he spoke he started to push Clarke towards the door, fading out of sight before they entered the hallway. Clarke walked to the dining Hall with Jasper carefully leading the way.

Inside the dining hall Clarke could see that Sir Finn was across the room, talking to the women in Pink who she learned was called Indra. The Duchess was there with two young men. There was a large table in the center of the room laden with all sorts of food, and everyone was milling about eating from plates that they were holding. Clarke mimicked the others in the room and filled her plate. As the brunch continued other guests arrived, the very last being the Queen who was accompanied by a young man.

"I have some wonderful news." She said beaming. "Yesterday we had a surprise guest arrive in the city." She gestured to the young man beside her. "I am pleased to let you all be the first to know that my brother, the Green Prince, has returned from his long absence." There were several mummers spreading through the guests as a few of the people clapped.

"Welcome back, highness." A few said. The young man smiled in acceptance of their words, but did not speak.

"Now with that out of the way, we can move into the gardens and begin our game." They followed the Queen out of the dining hall. Clarke couldn't help but observe the Queens brother who was walking by her side. The man stood very straight, and wore fitted black pants and a green coat with black filigree adorning the hem lines of the garment. He had neatly combed hair that was black and almost angry looking brown eyes. Not used to seeing him dressed or primly Clarke had difficulty recognizing who exactly she was looking at.

"Bell sweet heart, could you please feteh the Hedgehogs and Mallets?" The Queen asked, her voice sounding surgery. Bellamy nodded to his sister stiffly, and walked away to a stone shed at the corner of the garden space.

"Is that really him?" Clarke whispered, trying as best as she could to not let her lips move.

"Yes." Jasper's voice sounded as unnerved as she felt.

"What is he doing here, with the Queen. Didn't she want to kill him?" Unfortunately Jasper was not able to respond right away as, Sir Finn approached her.

"Lady Lillabeth, how are you doing on this fine day?" He bowed slightly to her as he offered his greeting.

"I am doing very well thank you."

"I see you are wearing the ribbon I gave you." Clarke couldn't help but smile at how genuinely pleased this young knight was by that. In all honesty she did not even relies that while preparing for the day, that the ribbon had been woven into the braids that her hair was in.

"Of course I was going to wear this hair ribbon." She said smiling sweetly at him. "I believe I promised you I would when you gave it to me. Now Finn, forgive me I am not as familiar with how things in court, or at least not as familiar as I would like to be. Would you tell me what game we will be playing that involves hedgehogs and mallets?"

"We will be playing croquet threw the Rose maze, and have tea at the pavilion in the center."

"That is horrible!" Clarke couldn't help but exclaim. Suddenly she felt the sharp jab of Jasper's elbow in her side. "I'm sorry." She said trying to cover her outburst." I have never played the game quite this way. Won't, hitting the hedgehog with a mallet hurt the poor thing?" The knight chuckled in a light hearted way.

"No it doesn't hurt them. They may be a little irritated at being awoken in the middle of the day, but no real harm is ever done."

"Sir Finn, bring her down here." The Queen demanded. "She is everyone's guest. Now don't be rude and keep the lady to yourself."

"Yes your majesty, I apologize." Finn said bowing low. Offering Clarke his hand he started to make his way to the rest of the group. Soon Bellamy came back with the equipment for the party. Clarke watched, and as she did she became both worried and curious as to what was going on. There was something wrong with Bellamy. His face showed only the slightest hint of an aggravated expression and his movements had a strange stop motion quality to them.

"He is bound to her." Jasper told her when Finn turned to exchange a few words with the women to his right. " I think he is trying to resist but it won't do any good."

"How?" She asked

"She knows his full name, he is bound to her will. Has to do everything she tells him to now."

"How can you tell?"

"There is a mark on his neck just above the collar on the left side his clothes cover most of it. It is a mark left behind by the binding magic."

"What can we do?" A deep concern for Bellamys wellbeing evident on her face.

"Nothing. We don't have a book. And even if we did have it we cannot erase what is written in it. Only the books owner can. In this case we would have to get it back to the White Queen."

"We'll think of something." She whispered as she walked closer to the party.

"Oh Miss Lillabeth." The Duchess greeted as Clarke came their way. "I would like you to meet my friends." She ushered the young men she came with forward a bit. "This is Lincoln." She said gesturing to a tall well-muscled man. "And this is Luke." The second was thinner and had dark blonde hair Clarke smiled.

"I am very pleased to meet you. It is very nice to see you again Duchess. I trust that you had a pleasant evening yesterday."

"Oh please call me Glass. I was so sorry to hear that you dear grandfather was not well enough to be here." She said while eying Bellamy who was standing at the Queen's side again."

"It is time for the game to begin." The Queen announced suddenly, disrupting all of the ongoing conversations. Without another word everyone in the party backed away to the edges of the playing field and the Queen moved her way to the center. Clarke watched carefully as Bellamy handed her a mallet with red striping on it, and a large Hedgehog from a cage he was carrying. The Queen holding the animal in her hands gently prodded the White fur of its belly, and it promptly curled up into a spiny ball. "Lady Topplepot come hear." The Queen said as she called for Clarke to come to her. "You will be taking you turn next. Give her, her things Bell." She sounded annoyed that he had not done so already. Bellamy came up to Clarke and in more fluid motions than she had seen form him so far today, handed her a purple croquet mallet and a Hedgehog. He stood by her and she could see that his mostly expressionless face was more relaxed than it had been when she had first seen him. With her prickly creature nestled into the crook of her arm, they all watched as the Queen placed her hedgehog on the ground and gave it a firm yet somewhat gentle strike with her mallet. The animal rolled smoothly across the finely manicured lawn. Everyone cheered politely as the hedgehog rolled through the arch leading deeper into the maze. The Queen smiled looking very pleased with herself and then motioned for Clarke to take her turn. Clarke walked over to where the Queen had been standing, and moved to pull the hedgehog out from its spot on her arm. The irritable creature was not pleased with having its nap disturbed and with a strange little hissing sound raised its quills.

"owch!" Clarke exclaimed, as she pricked her fingers.

"Is there something wrong?" The Queen asked, a less joyful expression finding its way to her face.

"I apologize, I am not used to handling hedgehogs." The Queen looked appalled.

"What on earth did you play croquet with then?" She asked.

"Well you see Majesty Hedgehogs are a little harder to come by in the woods, or at least the right kind for playing croquet are. My grandfather taught me how to play with anything that was round. We used yarn one time if I am not mistaken." A look of surprise came upon the Queen's face and then she started to laugh.

"That is so clever. Perhaps we will try playing that way some time, now hurry up." She said scolding Clarke. "We do not want to take too long, or tea will get cold." With a nod Clarke forced the hedgehog out from her elbow and with a quick poke of her finger it curled into a tight little ball. Clarke put her hedgehog down and with a quick strike sent it rolling off threw the gate. "Very good Lillabeth." The Queen said as she walked through the arch after their balls. Clarke and Bellamy followed after, and when Clarke stopped to let Bellamy follow her first the Queen said. "Oh dear girl do not mind Bellamy. He has been away so long he needs to relearn his manors." She said cooing the last part as she patted him on the head.

"My Queen I do not mind. Actually," She said. "I was unaware that you had any siblings beside the White Queen." Clarke noticed her scowl at the mention of the other Queen.

"No. There is also Bellamy, my dear baby brother." She said smiling at Bellamy in an overly sweet way that left Clarke feeling uneasy. "You see he left the family a very long time ago. But he has come back to us. He arrived early this morning as a matter of fact."

"That is lovely." Clarke told the Queen as she tried to ignore Bellamy's miserable expression. "It is always so nice when family can be together." The Queen seemed to approve of her statement. The game continued as Clarke and the Queen spoke to each other. Once everyone had made it into the second garden, the game was able to continue. Surprisingly Clarke and the Queen had ties with both of their balls coming closest to the archway heading to the next part of the maze. Clarke giggled slightly as they walked up to their hedgehogs both of which had uncurled themselves and were sniffing about in the grass.

"This is the best part of playing this way." The Queen said leaning over to her. "If your ball happens to uncurl and move about the course on its own, that is permitted." Sensing there approach both of the hedgehogs curled in on themselves.

"What interesting looking flowers." Clarke commented as they entered into the next corridor of the maze. "The colors are so unusual for a rose."

"Yes, well." She responded. "They are all White roses really. I am surprised you have never heard of the rose painting festival." The Queen seemed a little suspicious of Clarke not knowing about one of the bigger festivals that was held in the Kingdom.

"No Highness, I have heard of it." Clarke lied. "I have just not been fortunate enough to participate in it. I did not know that they painted the roses in your garden. I thought it only happened in the rest of the city." The Queen smiled at Clarke.

"Of course my roses get painted. This is after all the garden where the painting of the White roses started almost a hundred years ago. I just have better painters for my flowers. It truly is a shame that Sir Finn did not find you a few weeks sooner. You could have seen the celebrations."

"That is unfortunate, I will be sure to come back the next time we have the festival." The Queen stepped aside for a while to talk to the woman in the pink feather dress, and Clarke when to the bushes to get a better look at the flowers. She marveled at the bright colors and the intricate patterns that were on some of the petals.

"Clarke." Jasper called to her. It had been awhile since he was able to talk to her since there had been so many people around who could have over heard him. "Clarke, I'm going to find Raven and tell her that we found Bellamy. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Jasper!" She whispered, as she leaned forwards pretending to smell one of the flowers.

"Yes."

"See if you can find Bellamy's hat." She looked over to where he was standing not far from where she was now. "He's not wearing it. See if the Queen had taken it and hidden it way. We'll need it if we get him out." Without waiting for Jasper to reply she straightened up and approached Bellamy. "It was very nice to be introduced to you Bellamy. Perhaps after today I will get a chance to see you in the city before I return home." Clarke was pleased to notice the faintest traces of a smile on his face, and she hoped that he realized she meant to get him out of the castle if the opportunity presented itself.

The game continued and with each round they entered a new part of the garden. Besides the painted roses Clarke found that her new favorite part of the garden was the lane of singing flowers. She enjoyed being serenaded by the groups of Lilies, and daffodils.

"This is marvelous." Clarke said to the Queen. The Queen smiled clearly enjoying Clarke's compliments to her garden.

"Yes they are hard to come by. If you don't pair the right flowers carefully, then the entire thing is ruined." Clarke struck her hedgehog and it rolled into the next section. Clarke and the Queen walked through that gait and she found that this next part of the garden was larger than some of the others. Inside there was a pond, which her hedgehog was now trying to swim its way out of.

"Oh no!" Clarke cried dashing over to the pond. "The poor little thing I'm so sorry." She went to bend down and help but then Sir Finn stopped her.

"You must not touch it." He said staying her hand. "Touching the hedgehog is a penalty. Besides, look." He stopped and pointed. "It has swam over to the other gate." The Hedgehog and managed to get to the edge of the pond and shook the water off its quills while crossing into the next gate. "Two arches in one go." He smiled at her. "I think you are very good at this game."

"This is lovely." The Queen chimed in. "I love it when a first timer makes it in to the lead. It makes the game so much more interesting." Clarke smile brightly at the Queen, happy that the woman would not be angry with her, if she were to be beaten at this game. "Oh look at that Luke just did the same thing." The Queen walked over to congratulate him on his high scoring shot.

There were only three other gates after the pond, the last brought them into a wide area with a white gazebo that had a circular table large enough for all of them to sit at. Lincoln came in first place and the Queen herself came in second place.

"Bell collect the mallets please." She asked the prince. "Everyone you may allow your hedgehogs to wander." Bellamy went from person to person collecting the gear and Clarke badly wanted to go over and help him. She found it terribly odd that his sister would treat him like a servant, but it was evident that she did not know everything about their family and she would have to ask Jasper about it when she saw him later. Soon a long line of servants made themselves known, and Clarke was relieved to see the familiar face of Raven among them.

"Come it is time for tea." She told them. They all followed the Queen's request and Clarke carefully placed herself between Glass and Sir Finn. Tea was served with what she assumed was supposed to be little ceremony, but she thought that the way twelve serving girls had to stand around the table and pour the tea into their cups in perfect synchronization was comical. The talk was light and a man named Sinclair complimented her at being in third place in the game.

"Finn how have things been going with investigating the magical disturbance? I heard some dreadful howling in the middle of the night. It sounded as if the Reepers were hunting someone throughout the city. An other sider didn't find their way here did they?"Indra asked Clarke could see Raven glaring at her as she stood by the woman's right side. For a moment Clarke recalled Raven's comment about putting poison in tea, and glanced worriedly at Raven who didn't break character long enough to look at her.

"We have not had much luck tracking anyone down. Most likely someone from hear when there which is why we cannot find anything." Indra nodded before saying.

"Have you used Reepers to track down any other siders?"

"No." Finn said an intrigued note to his voice. "It hadn't even crossed my mind to do so. Your majesty can the Reepers track someone without a sent or name?" He asked the Queen.

"I have not tried to do such a thing before. It is difficult work. I imagine that if you work the enchantments right you could have them hunt for specific criteria. However then they would track down anyone who fits it. The outcome would be unfortunate if you need the hounds to kill someone for you." Clarke felt chilled at the dismissive way the Queen had said that, almost as if she had done it before.

"What do you think about all of this Lillabeth?" Asked Indra. Clarke could see Raven's expression change and she could of sworn she saw Bellamy flinch as everyone's eyes turned to her.

"My feelings on the matter are somewhat complicated." She stopped to take a sip of her tea, but Indra seemed to think that Clarke had finished speaking.

"That is hardly an answer to my question. I know you are not from polite society but you could at least grace people with an actual answer to any questions they might ask you." Clarke glared at the woman.

"I may not be from polite society." she started calmly. "But I am able to tell the differences between someone pausing and when someone is trying to snub you." Indra took a moment to hide her face behind her tea cup while the Queen and a few others at the table smiled approvingly at her response.

"Please continue what you were going to say." The Queen said.

"Of course your majesty. You see normally I would not care too much if an other side had found their way here. Of course I understand the security issue, but it has never been much of a concern. Living in the Ton DC, any stray persons unprepared for the forest could easily get themselves killed. I am very happy that you had a search sent out." she said looking to the Queen. "If you had not had Finn come searching for other siders he would never have found me. I never realized that I was part of such a prominent family. Father for one reason or another didn't see fit to tell me of the position our family held here in the city, before he moved to the forest."

"Which one of the Topplepots did you say was your father?" the Yellow man asked.

"Humfrey, the son of Abelforth." Clarke explained. In the week coming up to this trip to the city they had prepared for just this moment. Bellamy was able to find a few loose ends in the Topplepot family tree where Clarke could have slipped herself in, and not be accused of being an imposter. Humfrey just happened to be the best candidate. He had run off to live in the Ton DC before the disgrace of his family, and no one had hear from him since.

"Humfrey! You are his daughter." Glass said this, and leaned towards her examining Clarke's face. "Ohh yes I see it now, you have his eyes, and a little bit of his nose." That was another reason why that had chosen Humfrey to be her pretend father. From the few portraits and accounts of all the possible people that Bellamy knew, Humfrey was the one who looked most like her.

"No I think she has his mouth." Argued another person who was at the table. Clarke was so happy that Glass had played along now that people were starting to think that she looked like a Topplepot, her story was starting to become much more realistic.

"What happened to you father in the Barons?" Yet another person asked

" When father ran off and met my mother, the young daughter of a Hatter. It only took a second or two for my parents to fall in love and after the wedding a years' time they had me.

"How is living in the Ton DC?" Asked the Queen. "I always thought that it would be dreadful, considering all the creatures that roam about like those god awful Jabberwocky, and that man ape thing." The Queen shuddered slightly.

"Father was always the first to admit that the barons are not for everyone. I grew up loveing it. I could never imagine myself living anywhere else. Of course I would love staying here in the city, I know I will grow home sick and wish to head back to the beauty of the trees."

There was a pause in conversation where everyone sipped their tea and ate there finger sandwiches and pastries. Clarke's eyes strayed over to Bellamy again. He still sat in the same spot next to the Queen. 'How horrible.' She thought to herself as she watched him as discreetly as possible. Bellamy had not said a single word, he did not even seem to be able to move a mussel unless his sister told him to. She began to wonder grimly 'if the Queen commanded him to stop breathing, would the binding that was in place make him suffocate.'

"And why exactly do you live with your grandfather?" The Queen asked interrupting her thoughts. Clarke sighed faining sadness as she tried to think of something that would sound believable.

"Both of my parents died some years ago."

"One day I had gone to see my grandfather. While my parents prepared for a trip to the city for the rose painting festival. When it was late afternoon, we went back to the house and found it in flames. A wyvern had ventured upon the house, and the beast grew angry when father had tried to get the creature to leave. My parents and the beast had already perished by the time we had arrived. I do not know how the wyvern was killed, most likely it died when the roof of our home fell upon it." Clarke finished her story by pretending to wipe a stray tear. A few people muttered there sympathies, and Finn lightly griped her shoulder in what she assumed was supposed to be a comforting embrace. There were a few moments of quiet, when Sinclair wanting to change the subject said.

"Prince Bellamy, it is wonderful to see you back in the palace, I don't believe I have seen you since you were boy. What are your plans now that you are home again?" Clarke could tell that the man was wondering if Bellamy was planning on taking the crown. The Prince was still for a moment longer before speaking in a refined sounding voice that she was not sure she liked.

"I have been spending my time traveling. I thought that it might be nice to return home for a while. I do not know how long I will stay." The prince said.

Soon after the conversation picked up again and Clarke found that she was no longer the center of attention. She was happy to sit and listen to what everyone was saying. She collected what she hoped might be valuable gossip about what was going on in the city.

Once two hours had passed it was announced that tea was over. A few people were asked to stay late while most present were dismissed for the day.

"Do not look back at them." She heard Jasper say from her side, finally back from his search of the castle. She nearly jumped when she felt his hand on the back of her head. The three of them walked to the part of the garden where the game started.

"Go back to the room." Raven whispered. "I have to go back and clean up a little longer but I will be there soon." Clarke gave the slightest of nods and thanked Raven for showing her the way back into the halls of the castle. Clarke walked with Jasper to her rooms.

"Oh god I am so happy to be back hear." She said as she sat down on the sofa immediately changing her clothes to something less constricting.

"I'm Happy to not have to be invisible still." He said rubbing his head. "Having to focus ,like that for so long can give you a head ache. It's a good thing I was able to hide under the table for a while. A clock started to chime, it's loud ringing signifying that it was five –o- clock. As the chimes finished Raven opened the door.

"You held up very well today." Raven told her." Do you think you will be alright when you go back tomorrow?"

"Yes." Clarke replied. "It was strange. I didn't know if I should be afraid of the Queen or if I should like her. She was so nice while I was there, but then she would say or do something a little unnerving."

"Yes our beloved Red Queen." Raven said sarcastically. "It wasn't always that way though. She was much kinder during her fist rule." Raven drummed her fingers on her knee. Clarke looked at Jasper and then back at Raven before she asked the question she had been dying to ask since she was in the rose garden.

"Why didn't anyone tell me that Bellamy was the Queen's brother?" Both of the other occupants at the table had two different reactions. Jasper's eyes widened, and Raven looked at her lap.

"Yeah Raven did you know about that?"

"I had suspicions but wasn't sure. He never actually told me." She said quietly Clarke and Jasper continued to look at her waiting for her to continue. "Normally it is the woman who take command. However Bellamy, Blake, is the oldest child of the last Queen Arora Blake. He was supposed to be the Green King, at least until his younger sister was old enough. When his mother passed he was only twelve. He took his little sister and rejected the responsibility of the Crown. Then his step sisters became the joined rulers of the kingdom. Anya the oldest became the Red Queen, the younger one Lexa became the White Queen. As far as anyone is supposed to know the prince and princess haven't been in the Kingdom since he abdicated."

"We had some Idea about that already, but how did you not know who he was?" Jasper asked annoyed and twitchy.

"I'm sorry I couldn't recognize him when we first started organizing the underground. The most resent paintings of him are from when he was 10 years of age." She looked at Clarke. "You must have seen at least one portrait of him when you were wandering around last night." Clarke thought back to the portrait of the royal family and had to admit that there was very little resemblance other than the hair and eye color.

"Is there any way we can help him?" Clarke asked. "Can we unbind him or something like that?"

"I already told you we can't." Jasper said." Only the owner of a book can erase the word written in them."

"I don't believe that. You have told me we can do anything. There must be some way to free Bellamy from Anya's control."

"And let me guess you think that you can do it?" Jasper asked her." You can hardly do any magic."

"I don't know if I can do it, but we can try can't we. Is there any way we can possibly convince Queen Anya of letting him go? Perhaps if I win her favor I can request that she bind him to me instead?" Raven interrupted her.

"That won't work. The Book the Red Queen uses belongs to the White Queen. Besides, how would him being bound to you help? You wouldn't be able to leave unless he comes with you."

"I don't know I'm just thinking that being bound to me might work better for him than staying bound to his evil step sister. Wait! Why does the Red Queen have the White Queen's book?" Clarke looked at Jasper and Raven confused.

"It is a check and balance system. The Red Queen has the White Queen's book and the White Queen has the Red Queen's book. The ruling Queen makes all of the laws in one book and when the crown shifts every five years the Queens are allowed to exchange books for a time. This allows for the amendment and abolishment of Laws."

"So we just need to get the book to Queen Lexa."

"Yes, but you make it sound like that is going to be easy." Raven told her.

"Well I don't think it will be that difficult either. You said that I need to be with her when she uses the book to hand the Topplepot properties to me."

"Yes traditionally you have to be there to sign your name." Jasper told her. Clarke paused to think for a while.

"She told me she would sign it all over to me tomorrow when I go back for tea again. Do you think that she is more likely to do it during tea or will she take me to the book room?" Both Raven and Jasper were quiet.

"Just what are you thinking about doing?" Raven asked. Clarke smiled.

"Do you have any more of the stuff you put in my tea."

**And Hear ends Chapter 9. There was some heavly Alice and Wonderland refrences in this one. If you guys have any questions let me know.**


	10. Mad Tea Party

**Chapter 10 The Mad Tea Party or Escape from W(B)itch Mountan**

Like she did the day before Clark walked into the main hall and down the passage that led her to the gardens. When she arrived the only other person that was there was Indra. Clark didn't talk to her but simply stood quietly.

"Hello lady Lillabeth." It was Sir Finn who had arrived shortly after her.

"Hello." She said feeling happy that there was some she at least liked in the room.

"How are you doing today?" he asked her. She smiled sweetly and said

"I am well, but I am starting to miss the forest already."

"How unfortunate, how much longer do you plan on staying in the city then. You will not be leaving us too soon I hope." He gave her a charming smile.

"I do not know. It all depends on her majesty's wishes. If she wants me to stay than I shall of course do as she requests. If not, than I shall stay long enough to set my affairs in order and return to my grandfather." Clark noticed Sir Finn frown a little at her reply.

"I will admit that this news is disheartening. I was hoping that you might stay the rest of the month. I thought I might be the gentleman that would show you around." Clark blushed a little at the man's advances.

"Then you had better hope that the Queen would like me to stay." They continued to talk, when the Glass arrived, this time without her companions from the day before. She happily joined in on their conversation. until finally The Red Queen arrived with Bellamy walking quietly, by her side.

"I love the color of your dress today." The Queen told her as she walked by.

"Oh my goodness your majesty I apologize." Clark said when she notice that the Queens voice was a little cold sounding when she had spoken. "I wanted so much to impress you by wearing my favorite dress, I didn't even think that I would insult you by wearing your color, I will go and change immediately." This had been part of Clark's plan for the day she was hoping that the Queen would dismiss her until she was able to change. Of course that would not take up much time so she thought that she might be able to sneak up to the book room and take the White Queen's book. The Red Queen smiled at her looking far more pleased then Clark expected.

"That is quite alright." The Queen started to say. "What you are wearing is a little too dark to be my color, so I will not make you leave this time. Just do not where anything so close again. We would not want to confuse people as to who is the Queen is now would we." The sweetness in her voice hid what Clark suspected was malice.

"Thank you your majesty." She said curtsying to the Monarch. "You are so kind and understanding." Clark sighed internally with disappointment. She would have to wait until later when she saw Raven.

The croquet game was easier to enjoy today now that she was no longer the center of attention. Handling her hedgehog was also easier now that she knew what to expect from it. She was careful not to do too well, she did not want to come so close to beating the Queen two days in a row. She didn't want it to look like she was trying to lose either however soon she came to the conclusion that most of the people who played tried hard not to do too well either. The game lasted only a little longer the one they played the day before, which surprised her since the party was almost half the size of the one the day before.

"Lovely." The Queen cheered. Every one clapped politely and congratulated her on winning the game. She thanked them and told them that she had just been lucky that the Glass had not brought her friends with her. Everyone laughed at the joke and then sat down at the table for tea. Clark carefully hid a smile as she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, when she saw Raven and Jasper come out both in serving uniforms. The two of them went around the table serving each of the guests except for Clark, who sat quietly pretending to sip from a cup that was filled with tea.

"This is a lovely tea blend." Indra said hardly noticing the yawn that almost escaped her mouth. The Queen nodded her agreement and then continued talking about the plans she was going to make for a grand celebration, in honor of Bellamy coming home.

"That game was unusually tiring." She yawned as she Held up her cup so that it could be filled with more tea. Clark started to grow nervous. This had been the Queens third cup of tea, and none of the people at the table had fallen asleep yet. Raven went to pour the Queens tea, and Clark watched and waited. A few minutes later the conversation had stopped and everyone seemed to be in a tired stupor."

"Please excuse me." Clark said as she rose form her seat. "I have to find the bath room, but I will be back shortly." The Queen turned to look at her with half lidded eyes.

"Of course dear. Just be back soon." Clark curtsied and ran from the table winking at Bellamy as she went straight for the castle doors.

"Go to the first door on the right!" Raven called to her as she followed Clark. Jasper soon came through the door after them carrying with him a pot of tea and a few cups. As Clark opened the door she was met with a grand spiraling stair case which they started climbing immediately.

"Are you sure the Queen won't be able to figure out that you slipped something in her tea." Clark asked panting as they climbed the stairs.

"No. I just had to add a few extra herds to the brewing tea. She will think that it was a bad tea blend." As Raven finished talking they reached the top and entered a large hallway that branched off several times.

"Jasper give the tea to Raven, and go look for the hat." She told him. He passed the tea pot to Raven and went down one of the other hallways. The night before while they were discussing their plan for the day Jasper had explained how he had narrowed down where the Queen had put Bellamy's hat. Clark and Raven continued straight down the hallway until it stopped at another staircase. They followed this pattern, going up staircases, and though hallways until they finally neared the top of the tallest tower.

"You wait here, I will take care of the guards." Raven told her. She took a short moment to straighten out her uniform and then picking up the tea continued up the stairs. "Hello gentlemen, how are you doing today."

"About time you got here I'm parched." Said the gruff voice of one of the guards.

"I'm sorry I was delayed. One of the Queens' newer guests did not know where the bathroom was, and I had to stop and show her the way. The poor thing was wondering the hallways looking in every door." Clark heard the guard's chuckle. There was a little more conversation, as the guards talked to Raven and sipped on their tea, but Clark was pleased to hear them slump to the ground sooner then she expected. "You can come up now." Raven called.

Clark quickly climbed the stairs and joined Raven who was standing beside the two sleeping guards. "The book should be in there. I will keep an eye on them." Raven told her.

"Are you sure?" Clark asked.

"Yes, yes." Raven said waving her arms. "Half the castle might be asleep right now. But we don't want to waste any time. What if they woke up?" Clark to open the door but it stayed shut. She pulled harder and it still did not budge.

"It's locked, where is the key?" Clark asked and Raven shrugged. Clark walked back to the guards and started searching their clothes and pockets. She found a single key strung on a cord around one of the guards neck, the key itself carefully tucked under his armor. Pulling it off the cord Clark went back to the door and unlocked it.

The room beyond the door was nothing like Clark expected. Instead of ornate decorating everything was bare accept for a large and nearly panoramic view of the city and the lands that starched out beyond the walls. In the middle of the room stood a pedestal made of the same White stone that seemed to make up most of the castle. There on the pedestal was the book, bound in White leather, and covered in sliver, and gold filigree. Clark walked into the room and as she did she felt a strange sensation, like walking through spider webs.

"Raven?" She asked as she walked through. "What if there are enchantments on the door?" Raven looked at her but there was no alarm on her face.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. The Queen will sleep through any warnings that you trip." With Ravens assurance Clark continued into the room, despite her screaming instincts.

When she was finally close enough she reached out for the book and found that hand stopped just a few inches away. She tried reaching for it again, but received the same result. Clark pushed against the unseen wall, and then tried to feel for a place where it was weak. To her shock the area surrounding the book was encased. As she searched a memory from her lesson with Jasper came to mind. Trying to focus, she imagined that there was a place in the invisible barrier that was large enough for the book to pass through.

"I need this book now." She thought to herself, as she closed her eyes focusing on her want as she reached for it. "I need this book." She gasped in surprise as she felt her hand touching the cool leather of the book cover. Moving her had away from the book she felt around the opening. A space was now in the wall very closed to the dimensions she had imagined. Beaming, a new idea formed in her mind. She flung the book open and searched its pages.

"What are you doing?" She heard Raven shout from outside in the hallway. "You're taking too long."

"Just give me some more time!" Clark hollered over her shoulder, as she continued to flip through the pages of the book. "Yes!" she rejoiced as she came upon the last page with writing and found what she had been looking for. There was only one decree that was written there and Clark was determined to do something about it.

"Bellamy Augustus Cerberus Ares Blake is from this moment on bound to the whim and will of Anya Diana Rose Trikru the Red Queen."

Clark looked at the words carefully before placing her hand over them. She thought about how much she wanted to change the binding that was on the page. This time when she closed her eyes she focused on the paper, on the fine fibers that made it and the ink that stained it in order to form the words. She thought about the ink like it was a few days ago. Thick and dark just before it left its stain on the page. In her mind page was still pure, awaiting infinite possibilities. Then the ink returned but this time the words were a little different. "Bellamy Augustus Cerberus Ares Blake will now be bound the whim and will of Clarke Abigale Griffin." She said out loud as she imagined the ink moving on the page beneath her hand. "He is mine, bound to my will, not the Queen's." Clark could just about feel the magic she was trying to work when she was interrupted.

"We have to go now." Raven shouted as she stepped into the room, she stopped in bewilderment to swat at the invisible spider webs that were strung across the room. Clark didn't have a chance to look and see if it worked. Raven had made her way to the center of the room and had taken hold of Clark's arm. Hastily Clark shut the book, and tucked it under her arm, and then went to follow Raven as she made her way out of the room. But now something strange was happening. Gone was the feeling of being tangled in fine spider webs, instead it felt like yards and yards of yarn had been tangled around her. As she walked more and more lengths of it were clinging to her body making movement impossible. "Lillabeth hurry up." Raven shouted at her

"I can't move." Clark yelled at her. She had made it to the half way point but it now seemed like every part of her was tightly secured by the unseen strings. Raven looked quizzically at her for a time before something seemed to register in her mind. "This is how they got him last time. It's the book, there is an enchantment." Raven came back into the room. "Let me take it." Clark relaxed her arm, so Raven could slip the book out of her grasp. As soon as the book was no longer in her possession Clark could move again. Unfortunately after a few steps Raven was restrained. Walking over to Ravens other side she stepped as far away as she could while the book was still in reach and grabbed it from her.

"Now take the book back from me, like were in a relay." She explained. Raven did as Clark said and soon they were moving, though their progress through the room was not as quick as they would have liked it to be.

"Go!" Raven said shoving Clark towards the stairs once they left the Book room. Clark noticed that Raven had stopped, and poured herself some tea from the tea pot on the floor.

"Aren't you coming?" She asked starting to feel a little panicked about having to try and navigate the castle on her own.

"I have to make it look like someone tricked me too. Or the Queen will know that one of the maids did it. I will be the first person singled out." She sat herself down on the wall near the guards. "You have to go. We have already been here for too long. Things won't be pleasant once the Queen wakes and finds you and the book missing." Raven looked like she was getting tired and tried her best to stifle a yawn as she continued to talk." You need the longest head start possible before the Queen wakes and sends her Reepers after you." Clark shuddered at the thought of the strange shadowy beasts.

"Thank you Raven." She said to the young woman who was nearly asleep. "Thank you for all of your help." Raven lazily waved Clark away, and Clark wasted no time running down the stairs, doing her best not to trip. Clark tried to remember the way they had come up to the tallest tower, but she soon felt like she was getting herself lost.

Resigning herself to the fact that she needed to get down to the ground floor first she found the nearest stair case and went down. Clark raced down the stairs, paranoia creeping up on her with every step she took. A few times she stopped thinking that she had heard someone coming after her only for it to be the echo of her own footsteps. When she thought she was so hopelessly lost that the only way she would find her way out of the castle was when the guards found, her Clark managed to stumble her way into the entrance hall.

"Thank god!" She cried out in relief as she started to run for the door. She stopped just before she reached it. Remembering that there was at least one guard who was likely still awake at the castle gates. Knowing he would not miss her walking out with The White Book, Clark ran back into the grand hall. With all her strength she pulled at one of the purple wall hangings. When the sheet of fabric came falling down upon her, she tried tying the fabric so that it would be a convincing bag.

After fussing with it for several minutes Clark believed that she had done the best she could do and walked to the front gate.

"Lady Topplepot, did you have a nice tea?" Asked the guard named Miles.

"Oh yes it was lovely. I only wish that I could have stayed longer." She told him.

"So they are still having tea then?" He asked Clark started to nod.

"Yes last I knew. I was starting to not feel very well and told the Queen that I should remove myself from her company for the night. I did not want to make her ill"

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that you are not feeling well young Miss. I do hope that you are feeling better soon." Clark gave the man her best smile and said,

"Thank you for the well wishes." And with a small curtsy she turned and left the man at the gates. Being careful not to look to strange Clark kept up a moderate pace as she walked down the castle road until she came to the green arches.

**I want to give a shout out to everyone who gave me name ideas for Bellamy. I couldn't use all of them there were some realy good ones.**

**Thanks so much to Liberated insanity, and Homerunhitter.**

**There wasn't a lot of Bellamy in this chapter But I will make up for it in the next one**

Sneak peak:_ He was looking down at her a broad smile on his face. "I don't know how you did it but you got me away from her!" Without much of a warning he leaned down placing a quick kiss on her lips. "I think I love you right now because of that. How hurry we have to go."_


	11. On The Run Again

Chapter 11

Turning down the path she walked a few paces and started to relax. Being out of the castle Clarke felt a huge wave of relief wash over her, and for a moment the absence of dread was so overwhelming that she had to sit down. She neatly arranged herself with her back resting against the nearest arbor. Taking out the book from its make shift bag Clarke stared at it. She had no idea if the magic she had tried to do worked. She had managed to make a hole in the Queens barrier, and she was able to find a way around the strange invisible trap that filled the book room, but she did not know if she had willed the magic to work fast enough for the spell to have finished before Raven had interrupted her. The evidence was in the book itself. That Clarke knew for sure, but she did not know if she wanted to look into the book and see.

"Jasper said that I could not doubt myself. Any doubt would keep it from working." Clarke did her best to brush that worry and doubt away. He will come to me when he can, she thought to herself. She stared at the book for a little longer, and then resolving to look at it only when she was safely out of the city, maybe when she had gone so far as to get back to Bellamy's house she would look at the last page and see what she had done.

Clarke put the book back the bag, and brushed any dirt off of her clothes as she stood up. Just as she started walking she paused. She thought that she could hear someone calling her.

"Lillabeth!" she heard it again, much closer this time. Clarke grew a little nervous it could just be Jasper coming to join her, she thought. Clarke turned figuring that it would be better to be on the side of caution, and hid herself behind one of the arbors, she even want as far as turning her dress to a green that matched the foliage perfectly. Standing still she listened as she heard someone turn down the path. She could hear the footsteps moving rapidly through the arbors and coming towards her quickly. Closing her eyes tightly and hoping that her pursuer would not look for her here she waited for them to pass.

"Clarke, why are you trying to hide on me?" Clarke nearly screamed when Bellamy appeared around the side of the arbor and grabbed her by the shoulders. He was looking down at her a broad smile on his face. "I don't know how you did it but you got me away from her!" without much warning he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I think I love you right now because of that. Now Hurry we have to go before the Queen wakes." He grabbed hold of Clarke's hand and started to run down the rest of the path with her. Clarke followed in a slight stupor. She was glad that she was behind Bellamy at the moment so that he could not see her stunned expression, or the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. She had been shocked by the brief kiss, it had happened so quickly that she was not even sure if it was real. Bellamy stopped and looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. Clarke shook her head vigorously, and without a word dashed ahead of him.

"You seemed to have gotten very familiar with this pathway." He told her running to catch up.

"Jasper and Raven showed me." She said as they stopped to catch their breath. They stepped through the passage and were back in the busy city street.

"Where are they now?" He asked as the strolled along the street making their way toward the eastern side of the city where the gate was.

"Inside the castle. I think Jasper might still be looking for your hat, and Raven is sleeping."

"Still pretending to be a servant?" He asked, and Clarke nodded in confirmation. They continued making their way there the city making lefts instead of rights. Suddenly a thought popped into Clarke's head.

"Bellamy? She asked "Should we have waited until Jasper brought your hat?" He shook his head dark curls swaying as he did so.

"That is not a good idea. We would have waited too long and then my sister would have caught us. I do not plan on going back to her any time soon."

"But won't people turn you in?" she whispered. Bellamy smiled at her

"I am their beloved prince, besides not one of them knows what the hatter looks like, and neither did my sister until she found me." Clarke walked in silence for a while. The two of them stopped as they reached the gate. Clarke could feel her heart starting to pound at the thought of them questioning her about the strange bag. "Don't worry about it." He said to her. Walking up to the guards he started to talk. "Hello gentlemen, my sister the Queen has asked me to accompany Lady Topplepot as she views the grounds outside the city walls. Could you open the gates for us?"

"Why of course Prince Bellamy, we will do that right away." The guard bowed deeply to him, and then called for the others to open the front gate. Clarke could hear the same sound of grinding gears, that she had heard a few days ago when she first came to the city.

"Thank you." Bellamy said waving to the guards as they walked through. "I will tell my sister you are doing a splendid job down here." Wrapping Clarke's arm around his, they both started to walk down the road leading away from the city.

"Should I call your highness now?" Clarke asked as they walked, Bellamy shook his head.

"You can if you want to , but honestly I would prefer something else. Not that it maters I'm bound to you now." Judging that they had walked far enough away from the city he gave her back her arm and sauntered.

"How did you know it changed?" She asked, Bellamy shrugged.

"It's a strange feeling being bound to someone else, kind of cold and clammy. It still odd but not as bad now that you're in charge. It might be that you haven't made me do anything yet. All I know is that Alice had told me not to do anything without her permission, so I was sitting around after you excused yourself from the table." He winked at her. "I just watched everyone sleep. Then after a while, it kind of changed. I could move again and I could hear you calling for me." He stopped and looked at her.

"I was thinking about waiting for you to come, but I wasn't sure if the magic I tried worked."

"That's what I heard then." He continued walking.

"But I never said anything."

"You didn't have to." He told her. "This type of binding connects me." he pulled at the collar of his shirt and showed her a strange black looping arrow marking by his collarbone. "To you." He took hold of her right hand and turned it over reveling the same mark on the center of her palm. "All you have to do is think something, and I have to do it."

"No! Don't do something unless I say it out loud." Clarke said thinking about all of the possibly embarrassing things she could accidentally make him do. Bellamy laughed suddenly.

"Its not mind reading but I still have a very good idea of what your thinking." Clarke started blushing. "Don't worry about it, we'll get used to it. Or maybe if we are quick about things we won't. How did you do it by the way?"

"I changed the name of who you were bound too." She explained.

"Impressive, not many people would think to try that. I guess you not knowing most of the rules is a good thing." By now they had reached the bridge where they had first stepped on to the road. Bellamy Jumped down to the rocky stream bed and held his hands out, intending to help her down. Clarke ignored the gesture and jumped down next to him. Shrugging Bellamy turned and started up the stream at a rapid pace "We have maybe two hours." He started to say. "We have a long way to go before we reach my house, and the Queen will definitely send the hounds after us tonight." Seeming to feel the shudder that went through her, he added. "If we don't get there soon enough we can climb a tree and wait them out until dawn. Once the sun is up we'll be safe again." Feeling slightly eased by that plan Clarke started to move on, climbing threw the brush, and over rocks and logs as fast as she could. Bellamy kept pace with her sometimes traveling ahead, in order to better help her cross the stream when there path was blocked.

"Can we stop?" Clarke asked panting after an hour, the excurtion had her sweating and now she was growing thirsty as well.

"Of course we can." Bellamy told her." Anything you want remember." Sitting down on a tree root Clarke caught her breath, and stared at the cool water running over the nearby rocks.

"Is it safe to drink?" She asked him pointing at the water.

"It should be fine. I wouldn't worry about it." He told her. To prove his point her knelt besides the stream and cupping his hands together started to drink. Following Bellamys lead, Clarke drank from the stream too and when they were done both started walking again.

"Were not going fast enough." Clarke worried as she noticed the sun would be setting soon. She started to run through the darkening forest but Bellamy stalled her.

"We're not too bad off, Just a few minutes and we will be at a short cut of mine." Clarke motioned for him to lead and Bellamy took her into the forest.

Clarke grew nervous about this the stream had been a path for them, it lead them where they needed to go and now they were leaving it for the woods that were getting darker by the moment. They continued to walk through the forest until they arrived at an old Tree. The two main branches of the trunk had been forced apart some way many years ago, and now Clarke could not tell what kind of tree it was. The bark had long since fallen off leaving nothing but pail gray wood shining red in the little bit of light the setting sun managed to get through the tree tops. "Here we are." Bellamy said not slowing down as he approached the tree. We need to walk through the tree where the wood has split."

"Where will it take us?" She asked assuming that it was some kind of gate to a passage, like the fork in the road back in the city.

"It will bring us much closer to my house." He told her. Bellamy had one foo resting on the split in the trunk and he reached his hand out for her. Grabbing hold Clarke let him pull her up , and gently push her through the gate. This time when she passed into the secret passage there were no green arches, instead there were tall thin Cyprus trees that she could see separated them from the rest of the forest. Bellamy soon appeared in the passage behind her and they both stated walking. As they moved along Clarke could see the surrounding forest blur. She did not question the strange effect but simply wondered why she didn't notice this happening in the passage back in the city. "That's because we are traveling much further." Bellamy started to answer for her. "This pass, is like a very small bridge moving us a very large distance."

Stumbling slightly the pair exited the passage and continued to walk. The forest had grown completely dark and Clarke was trying hard not to stumble as they went. A chill crept up her spine, and she started to walk faster. "Clarke." Bellamy said. "Calm down, we are so far away. It will take time for the hounds to get this far." Bellamy would have seen Clarke glare at him if it weren't so dark.

"I'm guessing that is what you thought when we were running around the city all-night long and they still caught up to you didn't they." Clarke started walking again almost stumbling as the ground started to slope upwards. "Besides, the longer we are out here in the dark the worse I am begining to feel. I just want to be somewhere safe." After carefully navigating their way uphill, and around trees, Clarke sighed. Off in the distance they could see the glimmers of light that marked the edge of Bellamys land.

"See I told you, nothing to worry about." Bellamy said smiling as he started to lead the way downhill. Somewhere in the forest a howl echoed.

"You are not allowed to tell me not to worry anymore." Clarke growled as she started to run. Another howl made its way through the forest this time sounding like it was by the stream. Clarke's heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest, as she pumped her arms and legs willing herself to go faster to reach the safety of the light. She could hear the hounds now, scrambling their way up the hill the glowing green eyes of the beast appearing out of the darkness.

Her foot caught in a dip in the earth and Clarke fell to the ground. Crying out in panic and pain, she scrambled to her feet. Trying to run again she stumbled, as her sore legs protested against her.

"Bellamy help me!" She said crying. She regretted the words the moment they had left her mouth. Bellamy who was moments from reaching the safety of the light turned sharply and came back to her despite the rabid beasts that were heading their way.

Picking Clarke up he brought her to the closest tree and gave her a lift. Clarke clawed at the tree climbing into its branches faster than she ever thought would be possible. Once she felt secure, she leaned down and gave Bellamy her hand. He had already started to climb the tree, but the glowing eyes of the hounds were already below them. Bellamy tightly gripped her hand and she tried to pull him up, as one of the hounds bit into his clothes. Bellamy gasped and Clarke could hear the tearing of fabric as an unseen force pulled at his legs. The resulting motion caused Clarke's grip to slip slightly.

"You should let go." Bellamy groaned as the hounds and Clarke continued to play their game of tug of war.

"No." Clarke told him, tears streaking her cheeks. "You need to get up here with me." She tried Pulling him up again. Bellamy had nearly made it into the branches, when another hound sunk it's teeth into one of his legs. He cried out in pain, and his hold on the branch slipped and he fell into the dark. The hounds snarled and Bellamy screamed as they tore at him. In moments the hounds quieted Bellamys cries.

**I know this was a short one but there is a lot of action. I only own the plot of this story. As always let me know what you think. I love talking to you guys**

Sneak peak:_ Some hours later she woke to find Jasper in the chair next to her. The boy seemed to be dozing and appeared to be far cleaner than she ever recalled seeing him. "I'm pretty sure than I believe in you now." She whispered. Jasper opened an eye to look at her, the corners of this lips turned up slightly. "Do you now?"_


	12. Give me shelter

Chapter 1

Clinging to the branch in fear Clarke looked down into the darkness. Peering down she could make out the faint out lines of other trees, but the shadows and small amounts of light shining out from Bellamy's home made it too difficult to distinguish what anything was. As she looked over the branch and to the ground the growling that has quieted started up again with a new ferocity. Six pairs of glowing eyes glared at her, as the reapers impatiently waited for her at to bottom of the tree. Suddenly one leapt up at her, and she tried not to cry when she thought she felt it's teeth catch at the hem of her dress. Wrapping her arms tightly around the branch, she waited.

All night Clarke clung to the tree with the reapers circling below her. A few times but each time her grip started to loosen as she started to doze. Each time the reapers would start howling and Clarke would startle awake, fear and adrenalin rushing throught her body. In her waking moments she would glance up at the sky and watch the slow progression of the stars threw the gaps in the leaves. Right around dawn the Reapers growls grew more viscous, and their attempts to leap at her grew more frequent. Carefully tucking her legs up around her Clarke climbed up another branch and waited as the dark sky began to grow brighter. As the sun rose she could see the hulking forms of the beast, and soon there enormous black bodies began to fade away their eyes the last parts to disappear completely.

With great relief Clarke climbed down the tree, careful not to get hurt as she made her descent. She looked around carefully but did not see Bellamy anywhere. What she did find was the bag holding the book a few steps from where she thought she had dropped it. Picking up the book Clarke turned back to the tree she had been hiding in. With a groan she noticed smears of blood on the bark of the tree. With a shudder she looked for more, and spotted the beginnings of a short trail of blood leading to another tree.

Hope sprang up in Clarke's mind and she looked up into the branches thinking she might see Bellamy climbing down but he wasn't there. She flowed the trail of blood and scuffed dirt, a cold feeling of dread settled in her chest when she spotted one of his boots sticking out from the other side of the tree. When she reached the other side she let out a small cry the sight making her turn her face away.

Bellamy lay on his back sprawled across the ground. His clothes were shredded soaked with blood. Recovering from the shock of what she found Clarke turned towards the still body again.

"Bellamy!" She called as she slowly approached him. "Can you hear me?" She didn't know why she bothered asking, when she knelt down beside him and picked up his cold pale hand she knew she would feel no pulse. Looking over his body she assumed that he died early in the night, not too long after he fell. She found evidence of the reapers teeth all over his limbs, but they had also made deep tairs in the flesh of his neck. "I'm so sorry." She told him. She wasn't crying yet but she could feel her lip trembling as her eyes started to water. "I shouldn't have called you back." She sat on the forest floor, still holding his bloody hand in her lap. The heavy feelings of guilt and exhaustion making her want to stay despite the corpse that was lying next to her. As she sat she watched as small rays of sunlight managed to peak threw the treetops. There was a slight breeze and it made Clarke glad as it blew the coppery odder of blood way.

Clarke reared back screaming as she felt someone's hand land on her shoulder. Turning quickly she threw a punch at the person before stumbling away from the body to the other side of the tree.

"Please don't make hitting me a habit." Jasper complained as he rubbed his chest.

"I'm sorry, " Clarke said as she started to cry. "I thought you were a guard," Jasper's eyes flicked over to the Bellamy's body and back before he spoke.

"That's okay." Rubbing the back of his head he continued "You should go back to the house. You look like shit. I'll take care of him. "

"No." Clarke shook her head. "we should wait just a."

"He's dead Clarke." The normally smiling boy said gravely. "I wish he wasn't but he is. You should get to the house before the royal guard really does get here. "Dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve and nodded in agreement." I won't be too long just wash up and get some sleep." He said as he walked over to her and gently pushed her in the direction of the house. The walk back to the house seemed too long, even more than when she first came to it so many days ago. When she reached the front door, she stared at it thinking about how there would be no old man to open it for her.

Entering the living room she looked around. Clarke felt too tired to bother going to the bathroom up stairs instead she settled into one of the large armchairs intending to wait for Jasper to come back. Some hours later she woke to find Jasper in the chair next to her. The boy seemed to be dozing and appeared to be far cleaner than she ever recalled seeing him. "I think that I believe in you now." She whispered. Jasper opened an eye to look at her the corners of his lips turned up slightly.

"Do you now?"

"I was so terrified last night, don't think I would have imagined any of that happening to eather of you."

"No I don't think you would have." He replied tiredly running his hand across his face. The silence lasted several long minutes, until Jasper asked. "What happened exactly?" Clarke groaned internally before answering

"We were trying to escape and he was pulled from the tree we climbed into."

"I'm sorry." Jasper groaned as he leaned his head on the back of the chair. "I should have been there with you two. I couldn't get out of the castle."

"Why?" Clarke asked looking up at him.

"I was on my way out when the Queen woke. It was strange. She rushed into the main hall where I was just about to leave. A few of the guards met her when she heard that the book and Bellamy were gone and she froze up. Then she ordered the castle to be searched and locked down. I couldn't leave." it was quiet again and neither of them felt the need to break it. Eventualy driven by hunger Clarke rose from her chair, and Jasper followed her into the kitchen. "Do you know were Bellamy kept the food?" She asked after a moment's reflection. In all the time spent with Bellamy she had never recalled him getting food from a particular place. It always seemed to be set and waiting as if he had put everything together far in advance. Jasper sniffed at the air and took a few steps forward.

"I think the pantry is right here." He told her as he took a few extra steps to the right and opened a cabinet. Inside they found a tray of food waiting for them. Jasper took the try to the table, and sat down with Clarke.

"So what do we do now?" She asked him as she took a muffin from the try.

"We will carry on with the plan." He told her. "We get you to the White Queen's green stone palace, in the Punamu islands."

"Do we still need to go to her? I thought we were only going there to erase the binding." Jasper stopped to think for a moment.

"That might be true but, either way she is your best chance at getting home as soon as possible. She is the only one that can remove the law keeping you from traveling back."

"OK when do we leave? The sooner I can go the better off you and everyone will be, right?"

"Not really the Queen would still be after us. Besides, it is not a good idea to leave until dawn tomorrow. You are still alive as far as she knows, and The reapers will be out again tonight looking for you." Clarke shuddered, but then a nervous thought that made her nervous came to mind.

"Jasper, why hasn't anyone come to follow the trail that the reapers were on?"

"The reapers are the Queen's best trackers, she doesn't use any other method very often. There is probably someone out there looking for you, but I buried Bellamy and hid all of the other evidence of what happened last night. They are going to look for where Bellamy died first in order to continue any search. By night fall the reapers will be out again, and they will be stuck at the thresholds of the property. Our best chance to leave is at dawn, when the reapers are vanishing, and just before any guards are out."

"And when we leave how long will it take to get to the White Queen?"

"About a week." He paused and tapped his nose for a moment. "We will see when we get to Fardusk, there might be a shortcut, or perhaps someone who can get you home regardless of the Queen's law."

"Really, do you know who?"

"Unfortunately no, but there are some powerful mages casters that might be able to open a passage despite the law." Jasper.

"Will we need to pack anything?" Clarke asked already thinking of all the things that they might need. "You can leave that to me, we don't need a lot and you don't have anything to pack."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah. Leave it to me. I already know where everything we need is. You should go clean up now, and maybe go back to sleep. We still have more than half a day until we go. You will need all of your energy." Clarke did not respond at first, she did not want to leave the Kitchen and be by herself. Looking down at her clothes to see that they were still smudged with dirt and to her dismay blood.

You should come up and get some rest too." She said as she went to stand. He nodded to her and she left the room and made her way up the stairs. Once Clarke had shut the door she could feel the tears start to fall. The events of the previous night replayed themselves and this time instead of feeling shocked and numbed, other emotions were coming to suffice. There was a deep sadness because Bellamy was gone. She felt lost and doubted that she would be able to find her way home. Then there was the fear of the creatures that would be out hunting her when darkness fell. She was crying when she stepped into the bathtub. The warm water was comforting, and eased the pain. Her body relaxed and her sobs eventually ceased. With enough time even the silent tears came to a stop.

"Everything OK?" Jasper asked when she walked into her bedroom. He was laying stretched out in his cat form at the end of the bed. "You were in their for a long time I thought you might have drowned." Clarke managed to smile as she climbed into the bed, too tired to change from her bathrobe into night clothes.

"I'm just tired. How about you?" He was quiet for a moment before speaking.

"I think we are both doing alright given the situation. I packed a few things for us so we will be ready to leave once we get up in the morning. "He yawned as he finished speaking, and without any further comments Clarke buried herself under the covers and fell asleep.

**Don't heat me just trust that it will work out in the end. I only own the plot of this story. As always let me know what you think. I love talking to you guys**


	13. Magic Mushrooms

**Hey guys sorry it has been so long since updating I left to go on vacation just after posting the last chapter. Between making up for missing a week of school and getting ready for finals I didn't have the time to edit it sooner. This is a short chapter but I should have the next chapter soon**

Chapter 13

They rose early the next morning, not that Clarke could actually tell. She dressed herself in something that she thought would be suitable for travel, while Jasper was down in the kitchen making them a light breakfast. When the two had eaten they each soldered one of the bags that was packed the night before and left the house. "Do you think that anyone will find the house?" Clarke asked as they headed into the forest. It was a portion that Lay on the opposite side of where Clarke had first come to the house, and she had yet to set foot here.

"I don't think so. No one is able to find this place unless they have a guide show them. Clarke was at ease for a moment until a thought came to her "What if Sr Phillip leads them here?"

"I don't think that he would be able to. If he was with any sort of search party then he would have found us yesterday." Clarke nodded in acknowledgment and they continued to walk. The forest on this side of Bellamy's home, and she assumed that they had entered the area that she had heard people refer to as TonDC. Nothing seemed to grow in the area but large pines. The vast red and gray trunks stretching up to support the canopy that in some places blocked out the sky. There were large spaces between many of the trees and the two had an easy time walking along the gentle contours of the land as they followed the natural pathways. Clarke felt disappointed when she realized she was thinking about how happy she was that she and Bellamy were not pursued by the reepers here as the lowest branches she was able to spot were at least 40 feet up.

After a few hours Clarke noticed the forest change. The numbers of large pines grew smaller and occasionally they would pass a place where one of the enormous trees had fallen. Thus exposing a large clearing where they could see the distant Hills and Mountains that were otherwise blocked from view. When they would reach one of these areas Jasper would hurry them along as fast as possible.

"Why are we running?" Clarke asked when they had rushed past a clearing for the fith time that day.

"Jabberwockies knock the trees down and Hobnokels like to inhabit the areas left behind."

"What exactly is a Hobnokel?" She said panting after him.

"Trust me you don't want to know. I just what to know what people on your side were thinking."

"What do you mean?"

"Well." He started explaining while slowing down once they reached a safe distance away from the clearing. "They just appeared, that happens sometimes. Every once in a while new critter will just come in to existence here. Bellamy had a theory that they appeared because people on your side thought them up." Clarke considered this and thought that it was interesting; it made her wonder if this world had any Pokémon. "They are horrible little bastards. I have seen one literally chew through a man's neck in less than a second."

"Oh." Was all that she could think to say. They continued walking throughout the day and Stopped to rest only briefly, as they walked Clarke found it hard to ignore the impressive types of fungi that could be seen growing among the leaf litter and decaying wood. The path that they walked started to slope gently uphill until they reached the tree line.

"That is where we will spend the night." Jasper told her, he pointed up ahead of them. At the top of the hill was a purple toadstool that was easily the size of a small house.

"Are you sure we should stop here for the night?" Clarke said looking at the thing. "It's still early and we could get a lot farther if we kept going."

"We could." Jasper conceded. "But the reepers will be out for you again tonight and anywhere else we stop will not be as safe."

"I don't see how a mushroom is going to keep us safe." The boy grinned before replying

"You will just have to wait until nightfall." Clarke sighed. When they reached the great toadstool they started making camp. Clarke put the sleeping mat Jasper had packed away for her under the rim of the toad stool, and then looked for stones that could be used for a fire pit while Jasper scavenged the area for wood that wasn't covered with mushrooms. When he returned the Cat dug a quick pit, and after shoving all the stones and wood inside started a fire.

"What are you doing?" Clarke asked annoyed that her fire ring got destroyed. Jasper used one of his paws to scrub a patch of dirt that was on his nose.

"It's going to be cold out. I'm making a nice warm bed for the night." Clarke rolled her eyes at the boy and sat down. By the time the dusk came upon them the fire and burned down to hot coals. Jasper then Kicked all of the dirt back in to the pit he had dug. "See, now we will have a warm bed for the night." He said to her after he readjusted the sleeping mat. Clarke sat beside him and reluctantly agreed that the ground they were on was indeed very warm.

"The only problem is now we don't have anything to ward off the reepers when they get here."

"Oh don't you worry about that we will be perfectly safe right where we are." Clarke snorted in disbelief, as she rummaged through their supplies for something to eat. When they had both satisfied their stomachs, the forest around them had grown dark. The indigo sky displayed some of the brightest stars she had ever seen while a multitude of fire flies flying threw the air blending the sky with the Trees.. "See look." Jasper said while nudging her elbow and pointing off into the distance. Clarke followed the direction and way off into the forest were several pinpricks of green light.

"No!" Clarke whimpered she tried to get up, but Jasper put his arm around her so that she couldn't move.

"It's OK. The green always comes first. Keep watching." She nervously settled down and was surprised different colors started to join the green lights, first various pinks, then blue and yellow. Orange and purple were the last colors to appear. It wasn't until the light spread up the hill side and the great toadstool they were under started to glow lavender that Clarke realized the lights were from the different fungi she saw during the day. She sat in awe gazing at the rainbow of light, late into the night until she fell asleep.

"Come on, get up." Jasper said shaking her gently early the next morning. Clarke groaned and looked up at him. He stood smiling as always and added. "We have a long way to go today. We have to get to the coast hopefully by the end of the day. Clarke stretched her body now cold and stiff from the night outside. The two packed up campe and soon started walking down the hill and back towards the forest. Jasper picked a few mushrooms and stowing them in his pockets for later.


	14. Knights, Mosters and Scarry Caves

Chapter 14

They reached the end of the mushrooms not too long after they started walking. They paused at the edge of the forest to fill their canteens from the stream.

"Were do we go from here?" Clarke asked. She turned her face up to the sun and enjoyed its warmth as he observed their surroundings.

"If I am correct this will lead us to the river, which goes down to the coast. If we stick with it we should get their by night fall and from there we..." Jasper trailed off.

"We what." Clarke asked looking back at him. Sir Finn was standing there, his sword drawn, and he was standing beside Jasper with an almost wounded expression was on his face.

"So what the Queen said was true. You aren't from this side." Finn did not lower his sword but simply looked disappointed. "And to think I assured the Queen that you were who you said you were. Where is the other one? The prince. Or was he an importer to?"

"That truly was Bellamy." Jasper said not sure if he should have said anything, since the knight seemed to have forgotten he was there. "And he is in the ground now thanks to his sister's monsters."

"That I'm sure is a lie, you have no reason to tell the truth." Finn said scowling at the both of them.

"Yes we would." Clarke told him loudly shocking the knight and Jasper alike. "I have wondered here by accident and learned that because of that alone, I will be put to death. I am sorry Sir. Finn but I would prefer to keep my head on my shoulders, both literally and figuratively. Now I don't like doing it but you can bet your ass I will lie, steal, do whatever I have to, to get home"

"I don't have an ass that I would bet. I don't think you own one either." The Knight said confused. Clarke rolled her eyes.

"Please, Sir Finn Colins." She said using what little of his name that she knew. "I have no plans of over throwing the Monarchy; I just want to go home. If you won't help me then couldn't you just look the other way?" Finn stared at her, he seemed to be looking for any sign that she was lying. Finally the young man lowered his sword, though he did not put it back in it's sheath. Clarke flinched as he took three great steps forward.

"I never did care for that law. Though I feel that the only way I shall trust you again is if I have your name. Your real name!" Clarke glanced over at Jasper who was shaking his head. "I will want you name too." Finn said pointing his sword at Jasper. He turned to Clarke again "Swear to me that you are telling the truth when you give me you first and last names, or I will be forced to turn you both in to the court no matter how much I don't want to."

"Will you help us if we do?" Clarke asked him. Finn nodded eyes not leaving hers. "Then I swear to you that my name is Clarke Griffin." She said after breathing in deeply.

"And you. First and Last." Finn said turning to Jasper once more. The boy cringed, making that face a person does when they have tasted something terrible.

"I swear that I am Jasper Gordon, or my father is a goat." Clarke couldn't help but laugh and as she did so she said.

"Bet your father can actually turn into a goat." As she continued laughing the boy smirked.

"I will have you know that my mother is the goat in the family. My Father can turn into a bear." Clarke continued laughing and after some time Finn smiled. Soon they were on their way again walking beside the water as they walked as they whet explaining their situation to Finn.

"Could one of you explain why you are going to see the White Queen if you no longer need her to unbind you?"

"We need someone to erase the law that keeps me from crossing over." Clarke said as she turned to look at Sir Finn something in the forest caught her eye. Just past the tree line she saw a white rabbit watching them.

"What are you looking at?" Jasper asked confused as he watched Clarke step towards the forest.

"It a rabbit." She said walking closer to it.

"Stop!" Jasper and Finn said at the same time.

"THATS IS NOT A RABBIT!" Jasper yelled horrified. "It's a Hobnokel."

"Are you kidding me." Clarke said looking at the two men she was with. She did not notice three more of the fluffy creatures hop forward. "This is the terrifying Beasty that has you shaking in your boots." When Clarke looked back, the Hobnokel sniffed the air befor hopping closer.

"Clarke step away from it." Finn said his sword drawn he stepped closer to her intending to pull her behind him. Not liking this all four of the creatures shrieked, stretching their mouths open wide reviling sharp fangs.

"Get down!" A figure shouted running to them from behind Jasper. Clarke screamed in fright when the person tackled her to the ground. The Hobnokel leapt for where her head would have been. Philip's sword swung through the air. The person roughly pulled Clarke up from the ground. "Get out of here now." He yelled at the rest of them dragging Clarke by the arm as he ran toward a boulder.

"What the hell is going on." Clarke could hear Jasper shout over the screams of more Hobnokels. Pushing Clarke behind the bolder the man climbed to the edge of it and Pitched something over Jasper and Finn who were still running. Whatever he threw burst into dust as it hit the ground making the Hobnokels freeze.

Clarke and the Man sat against the boulder panting. It took a little while before she fully realized who was sitting next to her.

"Bellamy?" She asked not believing her eyes. "You're supposed to be dead."

"I was." He said nodding. She noticed that his throat looked red and irritated. "But not anymore." He said smiling.

"Not anymore." Clarke looked at him eyes watering and she threw herself at him hugging him tightly.

"Clarke can you let go of me please, I can't breathe." She only laughed.

"How are you alive? Jasper said he buried you." Clarke asked, her voice muffled from her face buried in his chest.

"Yes I would like to know the answer to that myself." The Jasper said. Bellamy looked as Finn and Jasper joined them behind the boulder.

"I made a deal years ago. I can come back from death twenty times. In exchanged I can only do magic if I have my hat. "

"When... did you come back?" Jasper asked him. Bellamy scowled.

"I would say a day and a half ago. I would have been up and about sooner, but when I came back I found myself under several feet of dirt." Jasper laughed nervously before saying.

"I'm sorry. You were dead, I would have brought you back to the house if I knew you would pop up like a daisy in spring." Clarke collected herself and pulled away from Bellamy.

"Thanks for leaving this with me." He said taking off the rawhide coat. "It was very helpful when I was trying to dig out." Bellamy stood up and handed the coat to Jasper and then turned to look at the Hobnokels. One of them was starting to twitch. "We have to go, get in there." He said pointing to what looked like a hole.

"How's that going to help?" Jasper complained.

"It's a cave." He said. "Now get in before they unfreeze!" One at a time Jasper and Finn started their way into the cave. Waiting to hear from the other two Clarke sat at the edge of the hole for her turn to enter.

"One of you can come down." She could hear Finn say.

"How deep is it?" She asked Bellamy, nervous about climbing into this dark hole.

"About a ten foot crawl. Then it opens up into a chamber. When you get there, there is a small drop. Use your arms and legs to brace yourself so you don't fall." Talking a deep breath Clarke started to lower herself into the hole. First having trouble minting a hold on the solid she was able to climb down quicker once she had reached the firmer foot holds of the rock. Reaching the section where the shaft opened up she trusted Bellamys description of the cave and let herself drop. The fall was much shorter than she anticipated and her knees buckled and she fell tumbling into Finn.

"She's down." She heard Jasper say. She could just about see him in the dim light that streamed down from the opening. The light was soon cut off as Bellamy started his clime.

"Are you OK?" Finn asked as he pulled her up.

"Yes." She mumbled as Bellamy made his way down into the cave.

"Now what do we do, now that we are in this hole?" Finn asked the figure that Clarke was pretty sure was Bellamy.

"There is a passage hear. It can take us to The City of Light?" He explained to the three of them.

"How are we going to see it?" Finn asked him "Are you sure that we will be able to go the right way with the adscence of light."

"Don't worry about it." Bellamy explained. "There is only one way to go. I have been here before and made sure of that." Clarke could hear him approaching them. "All you need to do is put your hand on the walls. The passage goes one way. You would have to try awfully hard to get lost." As Bellamy spoke Clarke could hear him walk past.

"I don't know, wouldn't it be better if we had a light?" Clarke complained.

"Here, Bellamy." She heard Jasper say from behind her. She almost felt blinded when she saw something bright flash by her. The thing fell to the floor of the cave and Clarke saw that is was a small fungi that was glowing pink inside of the dark of the cave. She could now see Bellamy bend down to pick it up and use it illuminate the black-hole of a passage that lay ahead of them. Vaguely frightened of the sight, she planted one hand firmly on to the smooth stone wall. With the other she reached out to grab hold of Bellamy's free hand. Briefly he turned to look at her and grasped it.

"Let's go." He said and started walking. As he had promised the passage was the only one, and though it sometimes twisted and turned, there was no way for any of them to stray from the path that they were on. That brought relief to Clarke and after a while she released her grip on Bellamy's hand.

They had been walking in silence for almost an hour when Clarke pulled her hand away from the cave wall. She startled when she felt strange groves in the stone.

"What's wrong?" Bellamy asked.

"There is something odd about this side of the cave. Jasper, do you have a light?"

"Yes." He said and pulled another luminescent mushroom from one of his pockets. The fungi gave off a bright blue grow, and as their eyes adjusted the three men in the room gasped.

"The old Laws." Finn said sounding dazed as he looked up at the wall. Clarke looked at the stone that she had been using to guide her through the dark. Into the stone deep groves had been carved forming symbols and letters that she could not comprehend. A glance over at her companions told her that by the way there eyes flicked across the stone they were able to read what was written.

"What does it say? I can't read it." Jasper seemed to snap out of his daze and he started to repeat to her many things that she head already learned. How magic is achieved when a person truly believes in their ability to manipulate their surroundings. The writing lends a strength and permanence to spells that speech cannot, and that specific persons or things cannot be targeted unless there is contact by sight touch, or when a complete name is used

"I almost forgot about the last one." Bellamy said when Jasper had finished reading the first three

"The last one. I thought that there were only three of the old laws?"

"The fourth Law. The intent that you use will come back to you thrice."

"What?" Clarke asked. Finn began to explain.

"It is a balance system depending on wither you have negative or positive intentions, that energy comes back to you three times. Once because you consciously acted, twice for the energy you manipulated and three for the magic's effects. It is meant to make magic users think about the consequences of what they do, it is the ultimate punishment or reward."

"However." Bellamy added. "Not many people remember this law anymore and most disregard it when they do.

"Have you ever noticed it work before?" Clarke asked him. Bellamy shook his head before speaking.

"What I normally do is low impact. Magic that will affect myself only. And if it can bother someone else, like one of my passages I try limit other people's ability to access what I do." Bellamy added.

"What about you Jasper?" she asked, the boy also shook his head.

"The most comment thing I do is the shape shifting, and that only effects me."

"How long has it been since anyone had actually seen this?" Clarke asked. "Bellamy didn't you say no one knew where they were anymore?" To Clarke's surprise Jasper burst out laughing.

"Of course Bellamy would be the reason we found them again. And because he was helping another sider no less." The young man continued to laugh, putting his hand on his knees so he wouldn't fall over. Clarke couldn't help but smile seeing the irony of the situation.

"They were lost" Bellamy told her chuckling himself. "But with a Hobnockel den at the cave entrance it is no surprise that on one has made any true attempt to look for them here."

"You'll have to remember how to get here so that other people can come."

"That's if they want to come. I like the idea that I am one of the few people who know where this is."

"Yeah" Jasper said "We could use this for bribery." Finn made an appalled noise. Clarke could see that he was about to argue about the ethics of such a deed.

"How about we go now." Clarke asked "You three know how to get back here if you ever needed to right?"

The three of them nodded at her and they all started walking. This time Jasper kept the glowing Mushroom out so that they might find any new discoveries more easily. The passage that went through the cave was longer than she thought it might be and it wasn't until she was about to ask Bellamy if this actually was one of his passages when she saw a faint glow of natural light glimmering off the stone up ahead. Getting closer to the exit she started to notice that the stone around them was now rough and sandy in color.

"Almost there." Bellamy told them as they neared a turn in the passage. They rounded the corner and up ahead they could see daylight shining through the mouth of the cave. After their eyes adjusted they could see a great dessert stretching out before them in the bright blue sky. The cave mouth was tucked into a cliff of sand stone and from where they stood they could see the Blue and gold domed towers of their destination.

"Somehow the city didn't seem so far when we were up there." Clarke said much later when they had finally managed to find a way down from the steep cliff. Now that they had reached the bottom Clarke was disappointed to find that they could no longer see the city.

"Well, let's get going." Bellamy told them. "We have a lot of ground to cover and we don't want to be out here at night. It gets cold and dark fast." Bellamy tugged on his hat and it turned into a fez and his clothes were replaced by a man's White caftan.

"Should I change too?" Clarke said asking Jasper who she saw was now similarly dressed. He Touched the cameo still strung around Clarke's neck and changed her dress into a more form fitting caftan in a shade of sky blue. They continued their journey into the dessert and Clarke felt a deep pang of sympathy for Finn, who was unable to change his clothing like the rest of them. They walked through the dunes only stopping briefly around midday to rest under the shade of a small canopy. Jasper managed to erect it from there camping gear. When they started walking again and were able to climb up the nearest ridge of dunes, the City of Light appeared once more. A carpet of green irrigated fields stretched out around surrounded by a shimmering river that flowed past the east side of the city.

**Thanks for reading guys! So happy listening to the new Twenty One Pilots album right now XD.**

**Any way thanks to those of you who reviewed. I am going to need some more comments from you will be tacking/ putting up ideas for my next project after this and I want to hear what you guys are interested in. **

**Oh the story is mine but most of the people and places names are not.**


	15. Smoke Shops

Chapter 15

The City of Light turned out to be one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. Much like Arc some of the buildings were made with multicolored bricks. Mostly white and turquoise were stacked and arranged to from geometric patterns. Other buildings had pointed arches built from stone, and carved with the intricate lacey patterns of vines. Her favorite part of the city was the fountains. Each fountain flowing in the city was covered in brightly painted star and cross shaped tiles. A few that she saw spilled out into secondary basins that either watered small gardens nearby, or provided a home for a multitude of shimmering fish.

As they made their way through the streets Clarke found that following Bellamy was becoming difficult. The long robes he changed into made him blend in to the crowd a little too well. The walk ways were starting to grow crowded as they approached the market place.

"I have to go for a bit Bellamy." Jasper said.

"Why where are you going?" he questioned.

"I have some business here that needs settling. If it isn't the first thing I tend to while I am here there will be a few consequences." Bellamy snorted.

"All right you know where we are heading right?" The boy nodded. "Good take Finn with you, meet us when you have finished.

If Clarke thought that the markets in Arc were overwhelming she was nowhere prepared for the Grand Market of The City of Light. The vast square seemed to stretch on in never ending rows of vendors. The variety of goods was wider then it was in Arc as well. There were vendors selling spices and herbs from hundreds of enormous burlap, and leather sacks, and others who were selling dyes and ground minerals used for making colored glass, and painted tiles. There were people peddling exotic bird feathers, another selling copper lamps and vessels, with the clam that there were jine in them. Jewelry vendors sold rare gems that could trap thieves within, and one man who traded in unique magical abilities.

"Is that where you got your twenty lives?" She asked Bellamy pointing very discreetly to the tent.

"If not there another tent like it." He answered simply. "Be careful not to show much interest in anything." He said as they watched two different vendors descend on a woman, shouting various bargains at her. "They will try to haggle with you whether you want to or not." Clarke self-consciously brought her eyes to the middle of the street. They passed through the sea of merchants to an aria that focused on smoke shops and cafes. Men gathered in crowds to play backgammon. One of the first tents that they came across was made from a finely patterned canvass with the image of a blue caterpillar smoking a hookah over the opening. "Here we are." Bellamy said with a smile as she went for the tent. The inside of the tent appeared much bigger then it looked from the outside and she could see that it was divided into a stall selling fine silks in the front and a smoke shop in the more open back.

"Bell!" Came an excited voice form the corner. Bellamy smiled broadly as a young man came forwards and crushed him in a hug. He looked like he was the same age as Jasper and was shorter than Bellamy by almost a foot and a half. His black hair was neatly trimmed and wore the light colored robes that were common in The City of Light. "It's so good to see you, what brings you to my tent today?" The man smiled broadly and Clarke blushed when he spotted her and she diverted her eyes to the curious sight of about thirty multi-colored silk worms creeping along a loom weaving intricate swirling patterns in the silk they were making. "Are you here to buy something fine for your lovely lady?" He said with a smirk. " I have the finest silks all of them fresh, and I can make a special deal for any lady of Bell's" Bellamy tried not to chuckle when he felt her reaction and said.

"She is a friend, Monty, not my lady. I am assisting her on finding her way home and I heard from Miller that you might have something that could help us." The Monty's eyes widened.

"You spoke to Miller? About my work." His face suddenly began to look more serious. "Where?"

"At the White rabbit." Monty looked more at ease. "Come to the back with me and we'll see what help I can offer." He led the two of them to the smoke shope where there were numerous cushions for people to sit on, and the canvas had many window like openings to let the smoke out. Monty let them walk ahead of him and sit down while he searched behind a counter for an appropriate pipe. He returned carrying a Hookah, a few cans, and a small clay bin that had burning coals in it. Setting the Hookah in from of them he used a set of tongs to place some of the coals at the top of the pipe, and then situated himself comfortably on one of the cushions.

"Now what sort of help will you and your friend hear be needing from me?" Monty asked as he took the mouth piece and inhaled, the hookah making a bubbling sound as he did so. Monty blew the smoke into the air and passed the mouth piece to Bellamy who did the same. He started showing off by blowing smoke rings. Clarke stayed quiet letting Bellamy to explain everything.

"Let's just say that she stumbled threw a curtain, and a few associates helped her find her way to my place."

"I see." Monty paused to take another drag from the pipe. "Bell I don't want to disappoint you but I'm afraid that the particular method you are thinking of is not ready for the kind of trial you are referring to.

"That's OK." Clarke piped in after waiting for the two of them to smoke for a little while. " Miller mentioned we could travel ..." She paused trying to think of the right word. "Normally with you help." Monty looked at her.

"Really, but you won't be getting home that way."

"We are aware of that." Clarke took the mouth piece from Bellamy who was about to put it in his mouth to take another drag. She brought it to her lips and inhaled deeply, coffining as she sucked the curling smoke into her lungs a too quickly. "We have other business to attend to before I go. And we have to get there faster than walking can get us."

"What sort of business?" This time Bellamy answered by lifting the bag holding the book out in front of them.

"It involves paying a visit the owner of a very important book."

"Congratulations Bell on finely getting it. You didn't get into too much trouble did you?"

"I didn't take it." He explained. "She did. Last time I tried I couldn't get it out of its room." Clarke was surprised to find that Bellamy was unable to get it out, when he was far more experienced at dealing with magic. "The venture in cause me some trouble, I ended up dying a few times."

"You died more than once?" Clarke gasped. Bellamy looked a little sheepish as he started to explain.

"This first time was when we were running in the city. The reepers caught up to me as I was getting out of the river and they drowned me. I came back as they were presenting me to my sister. Then I died again while being interrogated, a guard kicked me in the head to hard. I came back that time right when you were sneaking in." He said looking at her. Clarke could recall the gash he had on his head that night. "The last time was in the forest." He said not explain any further. 

"That is unfortunate my good friend." Monty said. "Looking genuinely sorry. It makes me glad that you made those trades with the vendor." They continued to recline in quiet for a time each taking turns with the pipe. Now that she had a little practice, Clarke was no longer having trouble breathing in too much smoke and was quickly picking up the art of blowing smoke rings from Bellamy.

"Do the silk worms make all of your silk?" Clarke asked. The question was a little off topic compared to what they had been speaking about before, but she had been wondering since she had seen them working on the loom. Monty chuckled heartily.

"Yes they make my silk that is why it is so fine. I have found that there is no one better at weaving those fine threads into fabric, than the creatures who make it. And with their aid I can achieve patterns that others would only be able to make with dies."

"That is so interesting." Clarke watched the silk worms for a time while Bellamy continued talking with Monty.

"Will you be able to get us to the White Queen's palace?"

"Oh yes, I can get you within ten miles. When would you like to get there?"

"As soon as it can be arranged." Monty taped his chin as he thought about what would be needed.

"I should be able to get things ready by late tomorrow morning. But that is only if you can fetch some of the ingredients for me." Bellamy agreed and ten minutes later they left the tent with a list and a small purse of coins.

"Did you guys take care of everything already?" Jasper asked as he and Finn appeared out of the crowed that was milling about the market.

"We need to fetch a few things first." Bellamy told them. "Have you concluded your business?" Jasper smirked and nodded in response.

"What do we need to get?" Finn asked as they continued walking through the crowds.

"A few herbs, and something from where we are going." Was all that he said as he started searching one of the stalls that seemed to be surrounded by hundreds of herb and spice filled sacks.

"Why are we shopping?" Finn asked Clarke as Bellamy approached the vendor of the stall.

"We need to get a few ingredients for our transport tomorrow."

**The story is mine but the names are not,**

**I want to thank every one who took the time to review. I just ask that you log on when you do it. I love responding to you guys and answering your questions. When I can't it makes me a little sad. I hope you all understood the reference to Monty Python and The Holy Grail from the last chapter, and the Classic wonderland reference in this one.**

**Just to clarify a few things.**

**Most trees will sway in the wind if they are tall enough.**

**If you see strange names come up Like Phillip or Lacy please ignore that. Like I said in the first chapter This story is something I wrote years ago for a writing contest. I changed a few names and details so that it could be posted as a fanfiction. Phillip is Finn and Lacy is Clarke.**

**Thanks so much everybody.**


	16. The White Queen

**Sorry this took so long. I had to write in the dinner scene, so if there are more spelling issues than normal it is because I posted this without letting someone proofread that section. Also the story is coming to an end so I am drawing this out a little bit. At the end I am posting two stories that I have written. I am thinking of making them into fanfictions like this one when I have finished rewriting/ editing them. **

**The plot is the only thing in the story that is mine.**

**Special shout out to any of my New Zealand readers. You will see why soon.**

Chapter 16

Monty looked through all of the ingredients that they brought to him when they returned the next day. "Everything seems to be in order. Take a seat I will have everything ready soon." The four sat upon the cushions in the back of the tent and true to his word Monty returned no more than three minutes later. In the center of their seating area he placed another large hookah which he had filled with a mix of herbs.

"Do you have something from where you are going?" Monty asked turning to Bellamy. Bellamy Nodded and after fishing around in his pockets he pulled out a twig. "Very good. Alright, now I am going to step out soon. I don't want to be caught up in the smoke and sent away with all of you. Here." He handed Bellamy a glass bottle. "If you need to get back break this it will take you where ever you need to go." The four of them nodded.

"How do we start this?" Finn asked. Monty chuckled.

"Just start smoking. You'll see." He walked to the middle of the tent and closed the curtain that kept the two parts of the shop separated. Jasper was the first to have the pipe in his hands.

"So we just sit here and smoke." Jasper said after blowing out a puff of smoke. He took another drag before speaking. "How do we know he isn't just giving us some kind of drug?"

"Monty knows what he is doing." Bellamy said taking the pipe for himself. "He is a good man and wouldn't betray me."

"Are you positive about that?" Finn asked. The conversation continued while the men took turns smoking from the hookah. Clarke started to notice that the smoke wasn't dissipating like it should have. Instead it seemed to hold most of its shape forming an ever growing fog around them. Clarke took the pipe from Finn and took a few drags. Now that she had contributed to the haze she was happy to let the other three smoke as much as they wanted.

"I think we over did it?" Jasper said after seven minutes when the smoke grew almost too thick to see through. "Maybe we should stop."

"Well, Monty only said that we should start." Finn mumbled. As he spoke a light breeze stirred the air around them.

All at once the smoke cleared, and Clarke wasn't sure if she should or shouldn't have been surprised about their change in location. As Monty had promised they were no longer in his tent, but were now sitting in a forest. This one was far different from the ones she had seen near Bellamys house. Half the woods were dominated by enormous broad leaf trees that stretched up to the sky, their trunks wide enough that it would take several people to reach around it. Between the giants grew smaller trees, some that looked like Palms and others that were bushy with small pine needle like leaves. There were as tall as her with bright white undersides. As pleasant as all of the foliage was what Clarke found most interesting was the abundance and the variety of birdsong. While the forest near Bellamy's house was almost silent, the volume of the sound hear was deafening by comparison.

"Welcome to the Punamu Islands!" Bellamy said turning to them and throwing his arms out wide. "Also known as, if you haven't guessed yet, the bird Islands." Clarke jumped as a tiny green bird flew past her face into a nearby tree.

"Do you know which way we go to get to the White Queen?" She asked him. Bellamy looked around, finger tapping against this chin.

"No. I can't tell from down here. Jasper can you Climb the Kouri Tree and find out where we need to go. Monty said that we should be close by."

"Which one is The Kouri?" Jasper asked who had been looking a little twitchy ever since Bellamy had mentioned the Birds.

"The Big one." With a nodded Jasper shifted and started climbing up one of the smaller trees, until he was high enough that he could find perches in the branches of the Kouri. The boy was quickly out of sight but every once in a while they could hear him laughing after having startled an unsuspecting bird out of the tree.

"We're going to need to go west." He finally said. "I can see a road in that direction."

"And exactly which way would west be?" Finn asked "it is not like we have a compass with us."

"It is this way." Jasper explained as he dropped out of the tree right behind the knight

causing Finn to jump. They continued on their way, following the boy as he led them through the undergrowth. True to his word, they found the road that he spoke of after a few short minutes.

"Do you know where we go from here?" Bellamy asked. Jasper looked around for a bit, and seemed to get a good grasp of where they were.

"I wasn't able to see the Greenstone Palace. It blends in to easily with the tree tops but I am sure that we need to go this way." He pointed to his left. The flat footing of the road was something Clarke did not realized that she missed, especially after spending the last few day mostly walking through forest and desert on uneven ground. Now that they were out of the trees and had a better view of the sky Clarke got a chance to see more of the birds that she had been hearing since they had arrived. She saw more of the little green birds flitting about in the bushes. I there was one gray and black and seemed to follow them on their way, its flight pattern seemed strange and comical.

"If only we could find a few Moa." Jasper groaned after an hour had passed and there was still no palace in sight.

"What?"

"It is a large bird almost 12 foot tall that you can ride like a horse." Finn explained

"Oh." Was all she said not sure if the mentioned creature would look more like a giant emu.

As Jasper continued to complain about his sore feet, they finally came to the top of a hill and they saw it. The Green Stone Palace, though still a ways off laid before them. Its semi-transparent stone shimmered in the late day sun. Seeing there destination all of them quickened the paces.

"State your business here." A great dark skinned man said from his guard post at the palace gate. Bellamy seemed to puff out his chest and said.

"I am the Green Prince Bellamy Blake and I have business to tend to with my sister." Bellamy explained. The Guard looked at Bellamy and then the rest of the Party.

"She is expecting you, Follow me." The man turned and walked them into the palace. Inside its walls everything seemed to glow green as faint traces of light filtered in threw to stone walls. They entered the throne room that was brightly lit with torches, and on her golden seat sat Lexa the White Queen. She looked pristine in her white and blue dress as she waited for Bellamy and the rest of the group to approach her.

"Brother I have gotten word that you had come back. I am glad to see you." She said smiling as she looked down at him as he knelt in front of her to show respect.

"I am in need of your services." He said raising his head to look at her.

"I thought that you might. You never liked coming home much" She rose up from her seat. "Lets not talk about services yet. You just got here, its late dinner should be ready."

"Are you sure there is enough for all of us?" Bellamy asked as he rose to his feet. "We did come uninvited."

"Of course there is enough for everyone. As soon as I heard about you visiting our sister I knew you would come to visit me too. Besides one of the birds came to me with news of your arrival earlier today." The queen's words seemed to put Bellamy at ease, but Clarke felt a little uneasy. Trying to dismiss it as left over feeling from what happened with the last queen she followed everyone out of the room.

Lexa led them into the dining hall. It was a large room made of a much lighter almost white stone. The room wasn't lavishly decorated but Clarke figured that it was to draw the eyes to the large ornately carved table that was laden with food. "Sit everyone let us eat." She said smiling with her arms stretched out. Clarke sat down with the rest and began to serve herself to the dished full of roosted meat and vegetables on the table.

"You had them prepare a pit roast?" Bellamy asked his sister in surprise as he tasted the food.

"I know how much you like having them when we were little." She smiled

"What's a pit roast?" Clarke asked Jasper.

"Remember how I made our bed in the fire pit the other night?" When Clarke nodded he continued. "It's like that but you add food to the coals instead of rocks." Clarke smile fondly remembering a time she went to a clam bake at the beach and continued to eat. She hummed in delight savoring the perfectly seasoned food as she listened to the Queen and her brother speak to each other.

"It is too bad we can't enjoy this with our little sister too," She lamented. "We haven't all been together in so long." Bellamy only nodded in agreement. "So Bellamy, its been almost five years since the last time I saw you where have you been all this time?"

"I have been everywhere." He said with a shrug at his sister's glare he elaborated. "Seriously have been everywhere. I have been off traveling most of the time otherwise I am in Arc or TonDC." For a while there was silence as everyone eat there meal it wasn't until everyone was full that Lexa addressed why they had come.

"what are the services I can give you that Anya cannot?" She asked.

"She has put a binding on me that needs to be removed. For almost a month I have been trying to get my friend home" He said gesturing to Clarke. "She cannot go home without your help." The Queen narrowed her eyes at them.

"Why is that?" She asked.

"I cannot leave until he is unbound from me." Clarke stopped to look at Bellamy. "I also beg for you to repeal one of your laws so that I can leave you all in peace." Lexa looked at them with an expression of serenity while she was speaking, but now that Clarke had finished she could see the Queen tense.

"I would need my book to do any of this." She said.

"That is why we have brought it to you?" Bellamy explained as he spoke Clarke lifted up the knotted tapestry they had been using as a bag. The Queens eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Bellamy I am appalled." She told him, a reaction that none of them had expected. "You relinquished any claim of power, and now you interfere. Not only is stealing the book a Capital offense, but you did it to save this..." She glared at Clarke "Outsider with you. Then there is you," She said looking at Finn. "A knight of the court helping them harbor a fugitive. I have no choice but to return you all to Anya."

"What!" Bellamy said in outrage. He stood from the table everyone else stood as well. "There is no need to execute anyone."

"Please your majesty my only intention is to…"

"No." the Queen said interrupting Clarke. "Anya has told me about what has been going on and your actions are inexcusable. You must face what you have done." She waived her hand a small team of guards moved from their places along the perimeter of the room to advance on the four of them. Bellamy started to rummage around in his pockets. A last he found the glass bottle Monty had given them just before they had left.

"Get close." He said holding the bottle preparing to smash it on the ground his free hand holding on to Clarke's tightly.

"Stop him!" The White Queen ordered. "They are all trying to get away." One of the guards rushed forward and with his jade club struck Bellamy hard on the head. He crumpled to the floor the glass slipping from his grip. It rolled along the floor and in an attempt to stop the bottle form rolling away Jasper stepped on it. The glass cracked and from the bottle a great plume of smoke poured out. Before Clarke could register this, Jasper and Finn were gone and she was stranded with Bellamy who still lay motionless on the ground.

Clarke's Hands were quickly secured behind her and Bellamys Limp form was held up by two other men

"What should we do with them highness." The Queen smiled at them.

"We shall transport them back to my sister in Arc." She said. "Just give me a moment." She walked up to Clarke and roughly removed the White Book from the bag. "Someone fetch me a pen please?" moments later she began writing in the book. "Follow me with the prisoners." She said and started walking across the throne room and into an adjacent Hall. She stopped at the first door to their right.

Opening it she stepped through the door and their guards dragged Clarke and Bellamy along after her. On the other side Clarke found herself in a familiar dark passage. "Oh look at that my sister has left a room for you two." She said. Ahead of them was a cell that had an open door. "Put them in." The Queen commanded a note of satisfaction in her voice. The guards brought Clarke to the door and shoved her in. She thought about compiling but as she witnessed the other two toss Bellamy in she thought better of it. "I'm sure you didn't think I could get you back to the capitol so quickly." The White Queen sneered shutting the door.

Clarke waited for the woman and her guards to walk out of sight before she went to Bellamy who was still in a heap were he fell. Clarke rolled Bellamy on to his back, and held her hand close to his mouth. When she felt him breathing she was relived.

"Thank goodness." She sighed happy that he hadn't been killed again, two times on her behalf she decided was more than enough. Clarke began to look at the back of his head where he was hit. To her dissatisfaction she found blood in his hair. Tearing a length of fabric from her dress she wadded it up and held it to the injury. "I hope that you can recover from that just a fast as you could if you were dead." She said to herself as she wondered if his fast healing would still work in this situation.

She watched a beam of light from the main hallway creep along the floor.

"Were we?" Bellamy moaned, he looked groggily up at her.

"You got knocked on the head. Your sister brought us back." Clarke paused. "Back to your other sister."

"Damn." He groaned. "What about the other two?"

"Jasper and Finn managed to get away. But I don't know where they went." Bellamy sighed. Sitting up carefully looking around the cell he started to laugh. "What?" Clarke asked.

"I said I didn't want to see you down here unless we were on the same side of the bars." He said still chuckling.

"Not exactly as you intended is it." She said smiling.

Neither seeing a way out for the moment they were content to sit quietly. "Your sisters are crazy." Clarke said when she watched the beam of light move out of sight.

"I don't remember ether of them being like this growing up. Thought Gwyneth was always easily to make jealous. When I left I didn't come back for years so I didn't know what happened." He sighed " What about you, any crazed siblings?"

"I have a little brother. He is weird but I would not say that he is crazy." Clarke and Bellamy continued talking about silly things to pass the time. It wasn't until well after the hall went dark that they heard the approaching sound of footsteps.

**Ok so here are the stories ideas let me know what ones you like best.**

**Faded: Modern AU. Clarke is a college student and is part of a group of witches. They do a spell that is supposed to help them gain anything they want. Soon after Clarke is confronted by the spirit of a young man who insists he is still alive and needs her help. (Bellark)**

**Youth: Golden age of Piracy: On the night of her Engement party Clarke runs away from home. Having found an old map she is resolved to find out what is at the marked off location. ( Is Bellark, Raven is a Pirate Captain, and they are searching for the fountain of youth.)**


	17. In the Jail House Now

Chapter 17

"So are you planning on killing us or what?" Bellamy said trying to affect a since of nonchalance when he saw who was coming to see them.

"Anya couldn't stand the thought of coming to see you. But we have decided on what to do with you." Lexa said.

"The people aren't going to be happy when the newly returned Prince is put to death in front of them." Bellamy noted. A small amount of worry leaked out of his stepsister's otherwise stoic expression. "Look I know we have caused some trouble. But this girl is just trying to get home, and that is all that I have been trying to do." He stood for a moment playing with one of his suspender straps. "If you just let her go home, I will... Be yours both you and Anya. I'll be your little lap dog again." Clarke was shocked by the proposed bargain, and was about to say something When Lexa started laughing.

"Why on earth would I do that?" The Queen said while looking at her brother with a malicious gleam in her eyes. "I could let her go but that is something you want, that I don't. Besides I am sure you and your people have something planned to get you out."

"If I wrote it down, there is no way for me to get out of it." Bellamy said trying to convince her to take his deal.

"You expect me to believe that, when she" Lexa gestured to Clarke "was able to change that binding that was put on you. No. I am not letting either of you escape." She paused. Clarke grew nervous, as the Queen pulled her book out from behind her back.

"What are you doing?" Bellamy asked pressing himself against the bars of the cell to better see what was happening. The Queen had opened the book to a specific page.

"I am just assuring that you will be out of my way permanently. And since you like her." she gave Clarke a disgusted look. "I feel that it would be fitting if you attended her execution before you go."

"No." Bellamy said eyes fearful. "Please don't do this." He begged as the Queen began reading.

"As it is written in the book. My words will now make it so." she paused briefly to clear her through and said. "Bellamy Augustus Cerberus Ares Blake you are banished from this side of the veil from this day, until the end of your days." Once Lexa finished speaking Bellamy's body flickered in and out of sight.

"What did you do to him?" Clarke hissed, as Bellamy fell panting to his knees, Lexa smirked.

"He won't die from this if that is what you are wondering." She snapped the book shut and sauntered away. Clarke turned back to Bellamy whose body was still flickering.

"Are you OK?" She asked him when his body finally seemed to stop flickering like an image from an old projection machine. Bellamy shook his head still trying to catch his breath. "What's happening? What did she do?" She asked coming close to him to get a better look at what was happening. Bellamy pulled at the collar of his shirt and Clarke could see the binding mark on his neck. "So the banishment is trying to force you out but the binding is keeping you here." She said. He nodded in confirmation.

"When you are executed, the binding will end and I will instantly go to your side." He said finishing with a groan as his body flickered again.

"Does it hurt?" She asked as Bellamy moved to lay down on the stone floor.

"It feels like I have a noose around my neck." He said looking up at her. "I am beginning to get nauseous." Clarke scooted closer to him and had him rest his head on her lap. "I think I keep seeing flashes of the other side. But I don't know what it is I am seeing." He sighed and Clarke was shocked when she felt him grab her marked hand and place it on his collar bone.

"What are you doing?" she asked

"I think I feel less of the pull this way." Clarke smiled and allowed him to keep her hand pressed there. "Perhaps I can void the banishment for a while if you command me to stay." He said with a smirk.

"I don't Know Bellamy." Clarke said after a moment's thought. "I don't think it will work, and even if it does, there is the execution to think about."

"You." Bellamy said rolling on to his back so he could look at her better. "Do not have to worry about the morning. I will get you out of it." He reached out his free hand and gently held her chin so she was looking at him. "I promised I would get you home, and I will."

"Yes I remember, I believe it was the last time we were both down here. You told me about the first time you were on my side. You feel that you have to repay the woman who helped you." Bellamy was quiet a thoughtful expression on his face.

"True... but you... I really..." Clarke tried not to laugh as he tried to find the words he wanted to say.

"Yes." She said encouraging him to elaborate.

"Lexa was right, about something for once." he said with a scowl as he referred to his sister. "I would be really put out if you died."

"Thanks." She answered as she ran a hand affectionately threw his hair. They were both quiet for a long time, and for a short while it looked like Bellamy had fallen asleep. Clarke was relieved to see him resting, and hoped that his discomfort would be less if he was. As he slept Clarke's mind drifted to the day ahead of them. She reviewed facts in her mind, trying to look for any clues that might lead to some sort of escape. The only thing that she could think of was possibly waiting for the guards to come in the morning. "Turning invisible might work." she said quietly. She had to admit that the idea had merit. They could stay in the cell unseen and when the guards came to investigate, Bellamy and herself could lock them in the cell and run. She frowned even if Bellamy could do magic without his hat, the two forces of magic that were tugging on him were leaving him to strained too do much of anything.

The quiet was broken when Bellamy stirred awake and his body was nearly pulled to the other side again.

"Shhhh! your still here." She told him running her hand along his cheek.

"I didn't wake you up did I?" He asked looking embarrassed.

"No. I was still awake." She played with his hair for a moment as she concluded that her chances of surviving the morning would be better without the young Man. "Bellamy would your magic work without your hat in my world?" She asked him.

"Yes I think it would. As far as I know most magical dealings made here are void on the other side, with the exception of favors that haven't been used."

"That's good. You would need it I think."

"Why? I have been there plenty of times and never really need it before?"

"Well the people in power on my side, have gotten much better at keeping track of people since the last time you were over."

"Really?" He asked sounding skeptical.

"Yes. They keep records of you from the day you're born. If you don't use magic to trick people now and then, you will have a hard time living. No one will believe that you have suddenly come into being." Clarke tried to affect an air of cheeriness not wanting Bellamy to catch on to her plan.

"Ok... you can help me make sure everything is correct when we get there." Clarke was displeased to hear weariness in his voice already.

"Have you ever been to Wellesley? It's not too far from Boston."

"No I haven't, but I liked Boston when I was there."

"Oh. That's too bad. That is where I live right now. My friend Octavia knows the owner of a magic shop."

"Really?" He asked sounding intrigued.

"Yes. The owner's family has been involved with Magic for a long time. Now that I think of it they might have a book. I know that they would defiantly be able to help you." As she was speaking she shifted her hands to have more direct contact between the Marks on her hand and his neck. An aggravated look came across Bellamys face just then, and he sat up to face her as quickly as he could.

"What exactly do you think you are playing at?" He demanded.

"I don't know what you are talking about." She replied not too convincingly.

"You're talking like you won't be there and I can feel that you are planning something."

"I'm just making sure you are ok when you are on the other side."

"You can make sure things are fine when you go there with me." He told her like it was the most commonly known information in the world.

"Bellamy." Clarke sighed." We won't be going at the same time."

"What?" he looked at her for a few moments before a look of realization came to his face. "You need my help. You will be killed." Clarke was surprised when she could feel how worried he was. "Even without magic I can at least provide a distraction for you to get away. Or..." Bellamy was ready to continue arguing about how useful he still was when Clarke interrupted by pulling his shoulders forward and kissing him on the mouth. The kiss itself wasn't anything special, but it was warm, pleasant and achieved Clarke's goal of quieting Bellamy down.

"Bellamy." She said her fingers still lased in his hair. "I wouldn't have gotten this far without you. You have died twice saving me from the hounds, and you saved me from Hobnokels, and have been doing everything you could to get me home. I think it is time that I save myself." He looked like he was about to object and she fixed him with a stern glare. "I don't want to keep you here like this. Not when I owe you so much."

"No. Clarke I don't want to go until I know you are safe from my sisters." He growled not noticing Clarke placing her hand on his collarbone again.

"Bellamy Augustus Cerberus Ares Blake." Bellamy eyes widened and he tried pulling Clarke's hand from him, and maybe disrupt her concentration, but she continued. "I revoke the binding that was placed upon us. Your life is no longer subject to my will." As she finished speaking Clarke could see Bellamy try to speak, but he vanished before a sound could leave his mouth and this time he did not flicker back.

**And that was chapter 17 and only 2 or 3 left. Sorry but Bellamy ****will not**** be showing up to save Clarke from execution in the next chapter. I am still looking for ideas on my next potential fanfic. If you have an idea, or like one of the ones I posted at the end of an earlier chapter please tell me.**

**Thanks to those who have reviewed, and incase you haven't read any of my past disclaimers. The names of characters and places are not mine, just the plot.**


	18. Exacution day

Chapter 18

Her eyes watered, and she wiped the excess moisture way. The cell seemed so much bigger now that she was alone in it. She tried to think of what she could do about her impending execution. She supposed that if Finn was there she could use what little she knew of his name to make him get her out. However she felt dismayed at the thought of using him again and desided he would be her last resort.

There was always the chance that one of the friends she had made would be there. She could just see Raven or Jasper in the crowd of spectators, trying to cause a distraction that would allow her to make a run for it. As much as she liked them, and she hoped they liked her she did not expect them to risk there lives any more than they already had. After all they had to live in this world, and they might not like that she helped banish Bellamy.

Clarke decided that she would not let herself be killed in this strange world without doing all that she could to save herself. After all it seemed that she was most capable of using magic when something that she found important was in jeopardy. Moving so that her back was resting on the wall she began to focuses, and gather every bit of magical will and force that she could manage. "I will live through tomorrow." she whispered to herself. "I will make it home, and I will see Bellamy again."

Morning came sooner than she thought it would, and there was a minuscule amount of light that filtered into her cell from some window that was in the passage leading to the cells. Continuing to harden her resolve and belief that she would make it threw what was to come Clarke waited for the guards to come and take her away. Sometime around mid-morning the Queen came back to the cell, this time accompanied by her sister and two guards flanking each of them.

"Where is our brother?" The White Queen asked. Clarke detected a bit of outrage in her voice and she smirked.

"I sent him off. The limbo you stuck him in was taxing on the both of us." In order to provide proof of what she had done she raised both of her hands up so that the two other women could see that her palms were mark free. Lexa gave an annoyed huff,

"Bind and gag her." Anya ordered "She seems better trained than I thought. Undoing a binding without a book. I won't be taking any chances of you getting away." Two of the guards nodded and opened the cell. As they entered Clarke stood up for them and did not resist as they shackled her arms behind her back, and tied a gag around her head. When this was done the Queens both motioned for them to follow and the guards grabbed her by the arms and pushed her out of the cell. She followed the Queens up the passage. The halls of the Castle seemed to be relatively empty and when they reached the front gates she saw a carriage and a wagon waiting for them.

As the Queens went to sit in their carriage, Clarke's guards carried her to the cart, and when she was secured in it they began to move. When Clarke thought about her execution she thought that it might be at the palace and that a vast number of guest would be invited to watch it. She did not expect to be wheeled into the city by cart. To her this seemed like something out of a movie and she half expected the growing number of people she saw on the streets to start throwing rotten produce. After several minutes the cart and carriage turned into a plaza that after a moment Clarke recognized as the one that she and Bellamy had visited on her first day in the city.

She almost gasped in surprised to see the large numbers of people who had assembled. The crowd parted as the Queen's carriage approached and closed as her cart passed them by. At the center of the plaza was a raised platform. She could see what looked like a large block of wood and a night standing beside it a large Axe in hand.

All to soon the carriage stopped next to the platform and she watched as the two women stepped out each carrying their own book. The sisters stepped up on to the plat form. As the carriage pulled away the cart that carried her pulled forwards.

Clarke felt her heart beat rise as it stopped and she was ushered up on the platform, she tried brushing the unease aside, but try as she might she found the peril of her situation to grave to ignore.

"Bring forth the traitors!" The Red Queen called, and to Clarke's Terror four guards came around the platform bringing with them Jasper and Finn, who she assumed were brought to the Square earlier in the morning. When all three of them were on the platform, their escorts had the them kneel in a straight line.

"People of Ark. We have gathered you here today to witness an execution." Lexa announced. Clarke was appalled to hear loud cheers raise from a large portion of the crowd. "We have apprehended the other-sider that has plagued our world for the last month. She will now suffer the consequences of entering our realm." There was a pause in which the crowed jeered, and the White Queen stepped forward.

"If that was not enough this trollop seduced our poor brother the Green Prince into helping her as well, and banished the poor fool to her world as repayment for his aid." Clarke felt outraged that Lexa was blameing her for what she did to her own brother. However she was distracted by something she thought she saw as Lexawaived her hand in the air while speaking.

"You Banished him yourself, you Lying Bitch!" Clarke shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. Soft mummers could be heard among the crowd. Clarke smiled as she watched the woman's face redden with anger. Just as she had hoped Lexa opened her hand as she reached back. Just before the Queens hand came into contact with her face Clarke was able to get a brief glance of the same mark that had adorned her own hand the night before.

"Lying whore." Anya spat. Clarke felt dizzy for a moment and while she recovered the Queen continued speaking. "And now the punishment of the traitorous scum that helped her evade our just perusal of her." The White Queen continued talking but Clarke ignored her instead trying to piece together the new information she just discovered. Who could the White Queen Have under her control? Clarke let her eyes wonder and eventually they fell upon Anya. There was something different about her Clarke thought to herself. In the company of her younger counter part, she seemed to be quiet and withdrawn. If Clarke was not mistaken every other time Clarke had seen Anya there was black lace and other pattering adorning her clothes especially around the neckline. Her gaze wavered between the two sister until something that Jasper said seemed to make since. That Anya seemed to freeze up when Bellamy was discovered missing.

Now there was something that Clarke could do, she could almost perfectly picture the words of the binding that were written in the book, down to the handwriting, but she did not know the White Queen's full name. Clarke was no longer afraid but instead she could feel anger and frustration building up inside her. "Damn that Law about names." She thought, but then she recalled the one law that might actually be able to help her.

Lexa finaly stopped talking and gave the guards permission to start the first of the executions. Clarke felt herself being lifted from her Knees and brought over to the executioners block. She did not resist as they positioned her she was preoccupied with thinking of the correct words for what she wanted to do.

"I invoke the powers of the fourth law." She thought with all her strength her concentration only jarred slightly as her head was forced down upon the blood stained wood. "Give me the White Queens name." She whispered staring at the woman in question. "She has ignored you and acted without thinking. With her name I will act as your tool and bestow upon her the gifts and punishment she deserves."

After repeating her intentions a few more times a strange sensation started to spread threw her like she could feel each particle in her body vibrating with excess energy. Clarke could feel it start at her fingers and toes and then travel up her limbs. The feeling grew and continued to build up even as word flew from her mouth before she realized she was speaking "Lexa Fiona, Persephone, Trikru by the Fourth Law I punish you. The bindings that you hold are broken and your magic and will are bound to the throne. May you only work for the benefit of your people and your crown" As the last word left her lips Clarke could feel the magic pour off of her like a breach in a damn. The White Queen was screaming, in anger for the executioner to kill her, while Anya who had come back to herself was ordering them to size the White Queen and take her away. During the commotion Jasper and Finn were able to free themselves from there bonds. Finn went to assist the guards in apprehending the Lexa while Jasper went to Clarke. Clarke was lying still by the block.

"Clarke quick lets go while we have the chance." He said as he carefully tried to wake her, but she remained unresponsive.

**Sorry it's been a while since I updated but I swear (On my name) to have the next chapter up on Tuesday if I get 5 comments by Sunday night. I am still looking for ideas on my next potential fanfic. If you have an idea, or like one of the ones I posted at the end of an earlier chapter please tell me.**

**Thanks to those who have reviewed, and in case you haven't read any of my past disclaimers. The names of characters and places are not mine, just the plot.**


	19. There and back agen

Chapter 19

Clarke came back to herself slowly. When she first awoke, her entire body hurt. What had woke her were two voices coming from another part of the room and she did not have the energy to move her head to see.

"No I don't care how badly you want to speak with her, she is still asleep and such a meeting would be useless to both of you." It was Raven's voice that she could hear at the door, but she could not recognize the second voice that uttered a muffled reply. "Yes that's good and all but if I refused to let the Queen in why would I allow you. Notification will be sent when she is able to accept your visit." Without another word Clarke could hear Raven shut the door, and return to the room and Clarke's line of sight.

"Raven what's going on?" She asked her with a gravelly voice. Her throat feeling too dry to speak loudly. The young woman started at the sound of Clarke's voice, but quickly recovered.

"I wasn't expecting you to be awake yet." she said with a small smile. "You cast an interesting bit of magic yesterday."

"You were there?"

"Of course I was. How could I not be? Two of my close Allies and an odd little chit from the other side were to be executed. I planned to stop it if I could but it seems that you were able to do that on your own."

"Are you sure? I don't think I remember everything that happened."

"It was interesting to watch. You were on the block and the executioner was about to swing his Axe, when you stood up bonds undone, pointing at the Queen. You shouted her name and something about broken bindings and being bound to the crown. Anya and Lexa both started screaming different orders, and finally the guard listened to the Red Queen since she is technically the one in power right now." Raven paused briefly to let out a breath before talking again. "There had been a bit of chaos once it became clear that the Lexa had been pulling the Anya's strings and that she Banished the Bellamy, not to mention the youngest princess is still missing. What did you do anyway?"

"I'm not entirely sure, I asked the 4th Law to allow me to reward or punish the Lexa in whatever way was appropriate." Raven looked stunned.

"That explains why you fainted. It is not easily to use the power of one of the old Laws. People better trained in magic have died doing what you did yesterday."

"What is going to happen to me?" Clarke asked almost afraid to hear what Raven's answer would be.

"It hasn't been announced yet. However since the Queen has given you back your old room here at the castle. I think you won't have too much to worry about. Right now the Queen and a few advisors are sorting things out, she is livid by the way. She Seems to be considering dismissing most of her council."

"Really why?"

"Well The White Queen has been controlling Anya for almost 3 whole years now. Anya says that they were either doing their jobs incorrectly, or simply not loyal to her. After all they were unable to detect something as important as there Queen no longer being able to act as she pleased. Jasper told me that she said 'if that other side girl was able to tell there was something wrong with my brother, and was able to free him then you should have been able to do the same for me.'"

"Oh." was all that Clarke could think to say.

"Yeah. My guess is that there will be several spots opening up soon. I think Jasper is going to make a bid for one." Clarke chuckled.

"Jasper in a political position. I can't seem to picture that."

"Me nether, but in the very least with his preferred bag of tricks the boy makes a good spy." Raven walked to the other side of the room to the wardrobe, and came back with a plate that held a danish and a small pile of berries. She set the plate down on the night stand and after helping Clarke sit-up she handed her the food." You should eat something. You need to get your strength up, for when the Queen calls on you." Looking at what was in front of her Clarke realized that it had been a few days since she had really eaten a decent amount of food. Not waiting to be told a second time Lace ate what she was given, and dozed off retuning to a dreamless sleep.

For most of the Day and the following night Clarke dosed on and off, in-between bouts of sleep she would acquire small amounts of information from Raven, and then Jasper who was finally let into the room in the early evening.

"Most of the Laws she made have vanished from the book." He told her when Clarke asked if she was allowed to go home. "So your stay here and travel home are no longer a crime." Clarke smiled, happy that going home would no longer be a problem.

"Is Bellamy's Banishment still in place?"

"I don't know but if it is the Queen better abolish it. The people are pissed enough, they want their prince back." Clarke smiled.

"They like him that much?"

"Well... He is supposed to be the true heir."

"He is also the only one of his sibling besides the little one who has not created a scandal."

Clarke didn't feel nearly as ill the next morning when she woke, and after having a large breakfast told Bunny that she was willing to see any visitors that might pass by her door. The first to stop by was the Duchess Glass, who brought her friends Lincoln and Luke.

"I hope you don't mind me bringing them along." She said "When the boys heard that you were another sider they had so many questions."

"That's fine." She said chuckling, and spent most of the next hour answering there questions about what her world was like. Lunch was spent with Finn, and Clarke could not help but notice that his interests seemed to focus on Raven. She was surprised to find herself a little jealous, but she would hopefully be able to go home in another day or so. There was someone there that she liked better. At tea time she was summed to the Gardens to speak to the Queen. Clarke nervously awaited the encounter in the same place where they had first played crochet.

"Thank you for coming." Anya said to her when she arrived. "I understand that you were quite spent from what you did a few days ago. Calling up a law like that, most who were there do not believe you are the other sider like you claim to be." She started to walk. "I am glad to have my freedom again, though it would seem that your magic has left me with one sister that mute, and a half brother and sister that are lost in your world."

"I'm sorry to have been so much trouble." Clarke said bowing her head.

"Don't be sorry." The Queen said waving her hand. "Lexa deserved her fate and Bellamy is happiest when he is on some kind of adventure. Though I have never really understood why."

"Is he still banished?" Clarke asked after a few minutes where they just walked. "Not any longer, but I very much doubt that he will try to return unless he knows that he can. Then there is the problem of us not knowing when and where he is."

"I'm sorry." Clarke apologized. "I thought that I might have to run and... Forgive me if I sound cruel but I would not have been able to get away if I hadn't broken the binding on us and let him go."

"That is unfortunate, and ironic. Well you have proven yourself to be very skilled, and you were able to see through my sisters machinations twice when no one else did. There are several newly available seats on the council if you are interested in having one." Clarke smiled at her.

"As interesting as that may sound, your highness, all I really want is what I have wanted since I arrived. Could I please go home?"

"Of course, how soon would you like to depart? You might want to stay another day or two and get to know the city better."

"No... I would like to go as soon as I can." Clarke explained.

It was just after dark and everything was in order for Clarke to finally leave. Raven, Finn and Jasper, walked with her into the throne room where Anya greeted them. The four of them watched as the Queen had two servants push seat of her throne away, leaving only the back still in place.

"Are you sure you want to go so soon." Finn asked her as the Queen began chanting something she couldn't understand, while facing the chair back.

"Yes, I have been here for too long." They looked back at the Queen who had finished her work. In the center of the of the back of the chair a long dark hallway seemed to have opened up.

Clarke stared at the gate cautiously. "You never know where or when the vial might put you." Bellamy's word echoed in her mind. The last thing Clarke wanted was to be stuck in a time decades in the past or ahead of her own time. 'Maybe I will find Him.' She thought to herself. A small smile was on her lips. "I can tell him that he can go home now." She hugged each of them goodbye and thanking them for their help. Carefully she walked up to the gateway. Turning back to them once more she waved. "I'll try and visit some time." she said, and stepped through.

She was in a small dark alcove with two doors, and was starteled by the sudden sound of cheering. Quickly turning behind her saw a curtain of black and orange streamers blocking her view of the hallway.

"Son of a bitch." She muttered angrily, as she quickly walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Looking herself over she looked exactly as she did before she left. The cameo neckless was gone and the boots that she had thrown into the woods her first day there were back on her feet. Going up to the bathroom mirror she envisioned it becoming a thin membrane separating her from the world behind it, with the image in mind she reached for it, but as she stretched her hand out to touch it she only felt cold glass. "No." She whined as she took a few steps back and sat on the floor of the bathroom she stared straight at the mirror not sure what to do. "It wasn't real." She mumbled disappointment squeezing her chest. "None of it was real." She felt like crying, somehow in a few moments she had dreamed up a world and an adventure so vivid she had managed to convince herself they were real. With a heavy sight she rose to her feet, and after carefully wiping at her eyes made her way back to the party. Walking back to the living room she saw that the back door was wide open, and she could see that the cheering she had heard was coming from a bear pong tournament. Walking over to the door she watched as Jasper started swearing loudly as his ball rolled about in the rim of the cup, and then fell out. She left her chest tighten as she thought about the dream version of him she had gotten to know so well. She noticing other faces that seemed familiar Clarke was about to walk outside when she heard Octavia call her.

"Clarke we're over here." Clarke nearly groaned, she had almost forgotten that Octavia had gone to let her brother who was her blind date into the house. Walking to the kitchen she saw Octavia talking to a Tall man with dark curly hair who happened to be wearing a large purple top hat, striped pants and a tweed jacket. Octavia smiled broadly when she saw Clarke approach and said. "Clarke I want to introduce you to my brother Bellamy." Bellamy turned around while Octavia was talking, and she struggled hard not to smile too broadly.

"Clarke, she talks about you all the time. It's great to finally meet you." He said grinning and stepping forward to take her hand.

"I think the guys out side ran out of beer." Octavia said reaching into the refrigerator and pulling out two six packs. She ducked outside leaving Clarke and Bellamy alone.

"Bellamy!" She started as she rushed up to hug him. "I thought I really had imagined everything." She looked up and started to talk again but was interrupted when he pulled her close and kissed her. Too surprised by it she didn't have time to respond as she would have liked to before he pulled away.

"I've wanted to do that for a while now." The smile was back on his face, and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"How long have you been here?" she asked knowing that it could have been a huge amount of time.

"I was very happy when I ended up here." He started explaining, "But I arrived about two years ago." Clarke gasped.

"You can go home now. We changed the law before I came back. You're only banished until someone tells you, that you can come home." He smiled at her.

"I know. Jasper came and found me my third month here."

"But why did you stay hear so long, you could have left."

"Well I hadn't seen O in a long time. Also there was this girl I was trying to help out at home." He said starting to explain himself. "She got into quite a spot of trouble and I had to leave before everything was over."

"Oh really?" Clarke asked sounding interested.

"Yeah! She is supposed to live around here so I'm kind of waiting for her." He explained looking about the kitchen.

"And have you found out what happed yet?" Clarke asked. Smirking Bellamy leaned down to kiss her again. "That good?" Clarke asked between kisses.

"You didn't know me yet when I bumped into you the first week I was here. Instead of just jumping to this point I thought I might establish myself in this world." Clarke frowned deeply.

"You spent two years waiting around for this moment?" She asked both puzzled and feeling sorry that he spent his time in such away.

"Nifty thing dying." He told her. "Because of my deal when I come back my age resets to when I made the deal. The last time you saw me I was 23." Clarke looked at him waiting for him to continue his explanation. "I didn't really waste any time, I was just catching up."

"So you're telling me your still 25?" Bellamy nodded. "That doesn't make any sence." She said with an exasperated sigh.

"Yeah but that's how it is. You'll figure it out eventually" Bellamy picked up a donut from the counter and took a large bite out of it and then offered her his arm. Clarke smiled up at him and took it.

"Can you still make passages here?" She asked as they started to walk outside.

"Yes why?" He replied taking the donut out of his mouth so that he could talk.

"I was thinking that you could save me a lot of money with travel expenses." Bellamy chuckled, and they joined the rest of the party.

**It pains me to say, but this is the end. I hope that you all enjoyed it I know that I had a lot of fun writing in even though my updates got a little speratic there at the end. I would like to give special thanks to Liberated Insanity. You have been with me from the beginning and It makes me so happy the you posted after every chapter. Any feedback is still welcome. I was thinking of writing an epilog but I'm not sure. It will take a while for me to write, but I will only do it if you guys want one.**


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